Six Of The Best

When you sit top of the table at any level of football, it is normally at this point in the season where the old cliché of it’s all about grinding out the points starts being said. You know the sort, the 1-0 and 2-1 wins that just see you over the line.

However, no one seems to have told Joe Doran and his Bootle side that, as they went goal crazy again on Saturday, this time putting Padiham to the sword with another act of clinical finishing.

The victory maintained the Bucks unbeaten start to 2017 – but despite the comprehensive full-time score the Bucks got off to the worst possible start, as with only thirteen minutes on the clock the visitors took the lead.

Brandon Barski’s long punt forward was latched onto by Joel Melia. The winger then advanced clear of Tony Rendell before firing low and hard into the far corner of Charlie Taylor’s net.

But just like they have done so often this season, Joe Doran’s side simply picked themselves up, dusted themselves down and got back to it, with Ste Jones curling a free-kick just wide before Carl Peers also fired wide from inside the Padiham box, as the Bucks went in search of an equaliser.

And an equaliser would arrive on thirty-four minutes. Kieran Haligan teed up Ryan Cox who saw his effort blocked – but Michael Ordish was on-hand to fire the rebound home from the edge of the box.

One became two on the stroke of half-time as Tony Rendell scored his first goal for the club. The former Skelmersdale man, who signed for the Bucks in December, towered above everyone to head Ste Jones’ cross home.

Rendell’s goal was also the Bucks 100th league goal of the season. A quite staggering statistic, especially considering we are only in February and the Bucks have only played twenty-nine league games.

Doran’s side continued where they had left off in the second half as with less than a minute on the clock they put breathing space between themselves and their East Lancashire counterparts.

Ste Jones' corner was only half cleared with the ball falling to Carl Peers on the edge of the box. The newly-crowned Premier Division Player of the Month coolly chested the ball into his path and let fly with a sweet half-volley that flew past Michael Donlon in the Padiham goal.

Donlon was soon called into action again, this time twice denying Ryan Cox before the keeper superbly blocked Paul Woolcott’s effort.

A fourth goal would soon arrive, however, through that man Peers. Once again, the Padiham defence failed to clear their lines from a Jones corner with the ball falling to the midfielder whose first-time effort rattled the bar before bouncing over the line.

Minutes later, and the Bucks collected their fifth of the afternoon with the goal of the game. Some neat play down the left eventually saw Paul Woolcott play a neat one-two with Ryan Cox before Woolcott played in Jones was had the easiest of finishes.

Not content with five Doran’s side completed the rout in stoppage time when substitute Michael Carberry side-footed Kieran Haligan’s cross home.