Wilkins sending off is costly

Clitheroe 1 Bootle 2 (Att. 482)

Wilkins sending off is costly

Clitheroe were forced to make changes going into this game against a team they usually beat easily at Shawbridge. Goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw was signed on dual-registration from Curzon Ashton to replace injured Hakan Burton while young Lewis Brown was brought in to replace injured Cam Lancaster in defence. Richard Baker and Danny Wilkins returned to midfield in place of Simon Njaria and Veron Parny while Jack Massey replaced Eden Bailey in attack.

The first half was very entertaining with end to end football throughout. Bootle were first to show with a 7th minute freekick from outside the box that whistled just outside Josh Ollerenshaw’s left hand post. A minute later it was Clitheroe’s turn with a good run from Jack Massey through midfield towards the visitor’s goal before his shot was deflected for a corner which was headed over from close range by Will Hall. In the 13th minute a great right wing cross by Bootle’s Hodkinson was narrowly volleyed over at the far post. Danny Wilkins made an unnecessarily late challenge in the 19th minute that led to a yellow card. Good interplay by Richard Baker and Sefton Gonzales in the 22nd minute led to another shot from the lively Jack Massey which was pushed out for a corner by the Bootle keeper. The Blues continued to create openings but Danny Wilkins received a second yellow card in the 25th minute for jumping into a tackle as the ball ran away from him just outside the Bootle penalty area. Matty Clarke then had a fine drive parried by the Bootle keeper and Emerich Poilly headed the loose ball over the bar. In the 38th minute Bootle passed the ball well around the 10 men of Clitheroe and forced Josh Ollerenshaw into a fine save. Clitheroe took the lead on the stroke of half time, a throw in on the right found Sefton Gonzales just inside the box, he turned and made space before firing a good left foot shot past the keeper.

The second half was a different matter. Bootle kept the ball much better and dominated proceedings. They had a great chance in the 57th minute when Hodkinson unselfishly squared the ball across goal but their forward placed his effort wide of the post. They equalised in the 65th minute when a left wing corner dropped into a crowded area at the near post and the loose ball was fired home from close range by Ritchie Sutton. They took the lead in the 72nd minute when another ball into the box was headed clear but their number 7 Sonny Hilton drilled it back into the net from the edge of the box. Clitheroe could not match their first half performance and were restricted in their goal chances, the Bootle keeper having a much easier second half. Bootle fully deserved their win and the margin could and should have been even wider as they squandered numerous chances towards the end of the game. All in all this was a valiant effort from the Blues, a terrific first half but dominated by a good Bootle side in the second half who made the extra man tell.

Team: Josh Ollerenshaw, Waqas Azam (Veron Parny), Matty Clarke, Domaine Rouse, Lewis Brown, Will Hall, Richard Baker © (Amaar Hussain), Emerich Poilly, Sefton Gonzales, Jack Massey (Simon Njaria), Danny Wilkins. Subs – Simon Njaria, Amaar Hussain, Veron Parny. Not used – Ross Dent, Eden Bailey.