Bucks bumpy season

Bootle FC Half Season ReviewPhotograph: Bootle FC

Bucks Porter signs for Wittin Albion

Consistency frustration for Dorans

Ronan Keating once said “Life is a rollercoaster,

you’ve just got to ride it” Maybe he wasn’t talking about Bootle FC’s season, but it couldn’t be any closer to that. This rollercoaster specifically though, began on the decline. The season started averagely on the first day, Bootle welcoming St Helens town to the Delta stadium, in which they played out a 1-1 draw. The next game against 1874 Northwich was abandoned after a floodlight failure, but afterwards Bootle rolled over Colne, a second half Peterson treble saw for a terrific and convincing 4-0 win away from home. The next match day saw for a 2-1 loss away to Runcorn Linnets, current leaders in the North West Counties Football League, with more misery to follow for the Bucks after another two losses, a 1-0 loss to Runcorn Town at home in the cup as well as 2-1 loss to Congleton Town in the league. Bootle then recorded only their second victory in eight games, beating Winsford United 3-1, convincing performance that saw them 2-0 up within 12 minutes before sealing the 3 points on

the hour mark, before Winsford added a consolation goal late on. It was never to last though, as only a few days later Bootle were once again brought to their knees, this time by Maine Road as they were beaten 4-1, before playing out a 1-1 draw with Nelson to finish the month of August in a bad way. September didn’t start well either, a 2-1 loss against Ashton Athletic to record their fifth loss of the season. Coming back to the Rollercoaster analogy, things were now beginning to look up. For the rest of the

month, Bootle went on to win 4 out of the 6 matches they played. First a demolition of Abbey Hey 4-1 away from home, followed by a 1-1 draw to Runcorn Linnets. Three straight victories were to follow with Bootle beating the bottom side AFC Blackpool 3-1 at home, a convincing victory even after an early Blackpool opener, a 3-0 win against St Helens Town and a 2-1 win over Barnoldswick Town, courtesy of a second half McGiveron Brace. The month of September ended with a 1-0 loss to 1874 Northwich but

the run of results had firmly got the Bucks season on track. The month of October came and Bootle went into it in a glamorous fashion. After the first game against Runcorn Town was postponed, the team went on to beat Silsden 1-0, picking up from where they left off the previous month. A week later three second half goals from Shaun Harris, Billy Smart and Michael Roberts were enough to see Bootle to a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Alsager Town, both Smart and Roberts goals coming just before

and in stoppage time retrospectively. Bootle took their fine form into the Men United Cup, beating Oldham Boro 2-0 before beating Marine AFC in the Liverpool Senior Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Bucks centre back turned goalkeeper Sean Coulton was the hero after producing a fine penalty save in the shoot out to see Bootle through to the quarter finals of the competition. The game saw Bootle end September and October winning eight out of eleven matches, scoring twenty goals

and only conceding seven. The good form at some point had to end, and going into November, the Bucks drew 2-2 with 1874 Northwich after already drawing and losing to them this season. Shortly after came a 2-1 loss at home to West Didsbury & Chorlton In which Bootle manager Joe Doran branded his side’s performance as “embarrassing”. Nicolas Evangelinos head home to make it 1-0 on 58 minutes before Bootle were awarded a penalty; Shaun Harris drove

into the Didsbury box before being brought down by Scott Jones leaving the referee little option but to point to the penalty spot. From the resulting spot kick Kurt Sherlock saw his effort saved by Hitchen, Bootle looking like beaten men. However, on 82 minutes the bucks were level, Daniel O’Connor rounding the keeper before squeezing the ball in from a tight angle with two defenders on the line. Unusually it was the visitors pushing for the winner, and with three minutes remaining they found

it, the ball falling to Alexander Baird at the back post who found the corner of the goal. Speaking afterwards Bootle manager Joe Doran didn’t hold back when evaluating his side’s performance. He said: “Today’s performance was embarrassing and nowhere good enough for this football club. We did well on Tuesday but for some reason today we just didn’t seem up for it and they (West Didsbury and Chorlton) came and dominated from start to finish.”After the loss, Bootle were looking to get

Bootle concede against Squires Gate in the 1-0 loss

back on track but found themselves in a familiar position. Alex’s Murphy’s goal eight minutes into the second half was enough to see Bootle beaten by Squires Gate 1-0. From there it didn’t get much better, Bootle succumbing to their biggest defeat of the season, a 5-0 thrashing from Glossop North End. Another defeat was to follow, making it 5 games without a win, this time at the hands of Runcorn Town who won 2-1. In recent weeks the bucks fortunes have taken a turn. First of all in the Men United

cup after a hard fought victory against AFC Darwen to advance to the quarter finals. James McShane’s goal in the first half of extra time was enough to seal at 2-1 win, setting up a tie against West Didsbury & Chorlton. It didn’t stop there either, Bootle went on to collect a much needed three points to move them up to twelfth after a tricky 3-2 win over Alsager Town. Next up for Bootle is another away trip to Maine Road, in which the bucks will be looking for revenge after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat early on in the season.

Bootle Times, 18th December

Notable Moments

Best Match It would have to be the game against Marine in the Liverpool senior cup, the circumstances of the game made the outcome even more sweet, and no one dislikes a dramatic game!

Worst Match The 2-1 loss at home to West Didsbury & Chorlton. Manager Joe Doran branded it an embarrassment, stating “Today’s performance was embarrassing and nowhere good enough for this football club.”

Goal of the seasonIt would probably have to be Kieron Brislen’s 30 yard screamer in the cup tie with Marine AFC. With the bucks being down to 10 men and a goal behind, they needed something special and it was certainly that. Bootle going on to win the game on penalties, making it all the more sweeter.

Unsung Heroes A special mention for Sean Coulton is a must for his heroics in the cup tie against Marine AFC. After going down to 10 men, the centre back stood tall and took on the responsibility of a penalty shout-out, becoming a hero after saving a pen-alty in sudden death.

Biggest win

Unbeaten run

Biggest Loss

Sat 9th August, was Bootle’s biggest win of the season. It came away from home to Colne in which Bootle dominated to win the game 4-0. This was after 4 goals in the second half coming from Emini Adeg-benro and a Peterson hat trick.

The longest unbeaten run Boolte had set was 5 in the month of September, pick-ing up 4 wins and one loss from the 6th to 27th. In the Month of October Bootle put 4 straight wins together but a game against Runcorn town was postponed.

Bootle’s worst loss of the season came on Tue 18th November, after losing at home to Glossop North End, the final score making for bad reading at 5-0.

Photograph: Bootle FC

By Scott Morris

Hunt For Silverware

Porter bringing Andy Fowler down just out-side the area, leaving the referee no choice but to give the shot stopper his marching orders. At this point, Bootle had made all three subs and centre half Sean Coulton was the one to take on the responsibility between the sticks. Although Bootle were down to 10 men, they grew into the game and

soon found them-selves on top. Soon after followed the all important goal that the bucks had been searching for. Kieron Brislen finding the net from a stunning 30 yards out. Neither side could find the winning goal so the game went straight to penalties, Bootle hoping for a miracle from their make shift goalkeep-er. With both teams

After a bumpy half season, both the Men United cup and the Liverpool Seniors cup comes as a wel-come distraction for the bucks who are in the running for both cups as the later stages commence. In the Liverpool senior cup, last years winners Tranmere stand in their path to the semi final, with Bootle hop-ing to enact revenge after their defeat at the hands of Tranmere in last years final. Bootle had beaten Ma-rine AFC of the Evo-Stick Premier after an interesting game at the Delta Taxi Stadium. Marine took the lead on thirty one minutes after Karl Clair found the corner of the bucks net from a stunning 25 yards out. Bootle then found themselves down to ten men late on, bucks keeper Dean

Fans hope for replication of success in 2013

Fans turn out at the Delta Taxi Stadium

P W D L Pts1. Runcorn Linnets 26 20 5 1 65 2. Glossop North End 22 18 2 2 56 3. Ashton Athletic 27 14 8 5 504. 1874 Northwich 20 15 4 1 495. AFC Liverpool 23 13 3 7 426. Nelson 22 12 4 6 407. Congleton Town 24 10 8 6 388. Squires Gate 21 10 7 4 379. Colne 21 11 3 7 3610. Silsden 21 10 4 7 3411. West Didsbury & Chorlton 23 10 2 11 3212. Maine Road 27 9 5 13 3213. Bootle 22 9 4 9 3114. Alsager 26 9 4 13 3115. Winsford United 22 8 5 9 2916. Runcorn Town 20 7 4 9 2517. Abbey Hey 24 7 2 15 2318. St Helens Town 23 7 2 14 2319. Barnoldswick Town 26 4 4 18 16 20. AFC Blackpool 27 3 6 18 15 21. Stockport Sports 25 3 5 17 1422. Bacup & Rossendale Boro 22 1 3 18 6

being successful from their first five penalties the shoot-out went to sudden death. Marine’s Daniel Fearnhough had his penalty saved by Coulton and Steven Williams stepped up for the Bucks to send them through, slotting the ball into the corner of the net to make players and staff alike pinching themselves. Onto the Men united cup, Bootle advanced to the quarter finals after beating after a hard-fought 2-1 victo-ry over AFC Darwen in a slightly less dra-matic game than their Senior cup tie. It took until the 78th minute for the deadlock to be broken, surprisingly by the visitors, Ryan Steele capitalising on hesitation in the Boot-le box to nip in and slot into the corner of the net. Darwen failed to hold on though as

Bootle were awarded a penalty not long after Steven Williams was taken down by Oliver Telford, Shaun Harris converting from the spot. On the stroke of half time in extra time, James McShane

finishing from a Sherlock cross to seal the game and send into the quarter final against West Didsbury & Chorlton. Boot-le hoping they can collect two pieces of silverware this season.

Photograph: Bootle FC

Photograph: Bootle FC