Malone wonderstrike breaks resilient Bucks hearts

Despite Workington bringing the game to life with a Reuben Jerome effort from a cross-field pass being blazed into the side-netting, Bootle began proceedings the brighter of the two sides with five respective players springing Jim Atkinson into life.

Simon Wills was first up. After being slipped in by Tom Peterson, Wills’ compelling strike could only find the side-netting. Connor Millington and Jack McGowan had two similar effort down the throat of Jim Atkinson with both players with dominant drills from range. Millington’s strike was almost fumbled by Atkinson before the keeper grasped the ball in the nick of time before Tom Peterson got there ready to pounce. Jack McGowan’s effort marginally crept past the post. Declan McLoughlin had a half-chance which rebounded off a Workington player and unluckily off Jack McGowan before the final action of the half was Tom Peterson snap-shot flying wide after brilliant work by Jacques Welsh.

HT: Bootle 0-0 Workington

Workington were one up with men on the pitch as the referee oversaw a foul by Simon Wills which was deemed as a second bookable offence and seen the ‘Bucks’ down to ten right at the start of the half and a uphill battle to follow for the remainder of the half.

A slow start to the half despite possession being of abundance for both with the first chance coming with twenty minutes remaining for the visitors. Connor Tinnion’s deflected free-kick almost crept into the far corner but much to the delight of the ‘Bucks’ faithful, it was bundled wide.

Bootle came close on a few occasions in the closing stages. Tom Peterson was denied by an outstretched leg of a Workington defender thwarting the ‘Bucks’ and Ben Hodkinson and Jay Roberts seeing their efforts well-nigh burst the back of the net.

With the final minute of normal time to play, the visitors delivered the sucker-punch with substitute Tom Malone’s speculative effort fly over Sam Ashton and into the corner to spark wild scenes from the ‘Reds’

FT: Bootle 0-1 Workington