Bootle 7 Squires Gate 2: Mersey mayhem after half-time

Bootle proved too strong for Gate on a tough afternoon for Luke Evans’ men.
James Boyd scores the first of his two goals at Bootle, though Gate were five down at the time  Picture: IAN MOOREJames Boyd scores the first of his two goals at Bootle, though Gate were five down at the time  Picture: IAN MOORE
James Boyd scores the first of his two goals at Bootle, though Gate were five down at the time Picture: IAN MOORE
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First-half flourish against 1874 Northwich seals first Gate win

Seven goals were scored in the second half on Merseyside and five of them by the hosts, who made it two wins out of two in the North West Counties League premier division.

Having picked up their first points of the season in Tuesday’s emphatic 4-2 win over 1874 Northwich, Gate named an unchanged starting line-up, though Josh Pollard was able to return to the bench.

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New signing Kieran Feeney, who opened his account for the club in midweek, had the first shot of the game inside the first minute, cutting inside from the left and firing a low drive that was well held by the goalkeeper.

Despite Gate’s positive start, it was the hosts who took the lead on four minutes. Bootle skipper Carl Peers drove at the defence and his shot took a deflection past helpless keeper Jordan Gidley.

Bootle grabbed a second 10 minutes later, winning the ball in the final third and releasing Ben Hodkinson, who finished clinically. Hodkinson then went close to a second, curling his shot from the left over the top.

Gate looked to bounce back, with Dean Ing heading over a James Boyd free-kick from close range.

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Elliot Pond then fired over from the edge of the box on 35 minutes, doing well to create space for the shot. Gate continued to push but it remained 2-0 at half-time.

Evans brought Pollard on for Dec Baldwin, looking to add more of an attacking threat from midfield in the second half.

However, it was a nightmare restart for Gate as they conceded twice in the first three minutes.

First, Connor Millington produced a powerful strike from distance to give Gidley no chance, then Jack McGowan made it 4-0 with another excellent finish after a through-ball had split the Gate defence.

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Pollard struck narrowly wide from the edge of the box as Gate refused to give up but it became 5-0 on 53 minutes. It was a second goal for Millington and even better than his first, a super strike into the top corner following a free-kick.

Gate introduced Jamie Ramwell and Andy Howarth and got on the scoresheet in the 57th minute, Boyd finding the bottom corner with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Gidley denied Tom Peterson from close-range but the Bootle player was not to be denied, finishing smartly on 68 minutes after Gate failed to clear fully.

Bootle's final goal followed a misplaced pass from Pollard on 75 minutes, Hodkinson getting in behind the defence to round Gidley and convert his second.

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Gate at least had the final say, Boyd finding space behind the defence to net his second on 82 minutes.

Howarth shot over and Feeney struck the woodwork but this was an afternoon to forget for Gate, who drop to 14th in the table. They have played six matches, more than any other side in

Gate: Gidley, Ridings, Higham, Staunton-Turner (c), Westwood, Gourley, Feeney, Baldwin, Pond, Ing, Boyd; Subs: Dodd, Garrett, Pollard, Haworth, Ramwell