McGowan and McDonald strike to stop the rot for the Bucks

Jack McGowan had Bootle’s first chance of the match, the Bucks man took it down on his chest before snatching at a volley, tricking past the post.

Trafford grew into the game and their first chance was Mike Burke sets himself up for a chance but blazes over the bar.

From a Bootle corner, Trafford broke. Mike Burke again through on goal, but Theo Roberts was able to make himself big and deny the Trafford man.

Trafford nearly broke the deadlock before the half time whistle. Sean Higgins rose highest to guide a header from the back post, which was just cleared away of the line from the Bucks.

Alfie Belcher had the first chance of the second half. The Trafford man cut inside and fired a strike from the edge of the area agonisingly wide of the top right corner.

Out of nothing, Bootle drew first blood in the game. Tom Peterson’s first effort was well saved by Jonathan McIlwaine, before Jack McGowan’s acrobatic effort out of the Trafford keepers reach.

Bootle double their advantage seven minutes later. Matty McDonald’s first effort crashed off the crossbar before Trafford clear only out to the left into the path of Jay Roberts, who crosses and McDonald nods home the second.

Trafford halved the deficit after Mike Burke poked past Theo Roberts from a scramble from a corner.

Trafford thought they had clawed back an equaliser. Mike Burke was there to again slot past Roberts from a set-piece, but the linesman adjudged Adam Rooney to be out of play after he nodded into the path of Burke.