Bootle vs Crosby Stuart

On a perfect surface for football and with new signing Thomas making his competitive debut, Bootle looked to put their tricky patch of form behind them. Standing in their way was a young, keen Crosby Stuart looking to make a name for themselves. Kicking towards the Monster Munch end Bootle started brightly. New boy Thomas showed strength to slot home a dinked ball from Lucas S. Mike Dijk linked up well with his midfield feeding the front two and freeing up Euan to maraud around midfield picking up match fitness after a spell out with sicky poos. Soon to follow was a second and third from the new boy. First a volley then a powered effort straight through the keeper. By this time Bootle were in total control, Sweeney picking off passes, Michael sat at the back taking in the football and Max having a sit down after his heroics the previous day. Adding to his tally for the day the new signing netted twice more to take his haul to 5. Time for the Bucks answer to Gary Megson to make the changes. On Cody and Wadey, off Michael and Euan. A change in personnel but not a change in football. Sweeney and Thomas continued to dominate up front, charging around like Cahill and Skem native Leon Osman in their prime. It was time for the other lads to step up and score this time. On came the engine. An immediate impact from Lucas B slotting home from his preferred wing position after a jinking run. Hudson looked sharp on entering the fray showing less power but more skill as he drifted in to the box picking up stray balls from a defence that was clambering to get to half time. Still time for one more goal. Freddo picked the pocket of his opposite number and threaded a delightful ball through to Charlie who slid in a deft touch for Brayshaw to finish. 7 nil at half time. A welcome tonic to the previous two games.

Time to loosen up and play some training pitch football in the second half. Again the gaffer rang the changes but no let-up in the tempo of the game. First to add to the score line was Charlie after the best move of the day. A cool interception from Thomas, Michael picked up the ball and passed in through the middle. Cody took it on moving it from right to left and shooting from distance. The keeper made a great save only for the on rushing Charlie to bang in the rebound. Lucas S continued to pepper the keeper with shots and the score-line could have been doubled if it weren’t for the keeper’s ability to stop the ball by sitting on it. The ninth came from the debutant, again after some great link up play from Will and Freddo down the left. Working hard to hold up the ball Lucas B won a corner, Bootle’s twenty seventh of the game. Charlie stepped up to take it and duly slotted into the top right. Finally, to cap a debut not seen since Ravanelli scored a hat trick against Liverpool in 1996, Thomas finished a quick breakaway goal started by Euan, continued by Hudson and finished by the Man of the Match. Clean sheet, eleven goals. Onward to the final, where the only stats that count are goals for and against!