Barnoldswick Town 1 Bootle 2

BOOTLE substitute Dominic McGiveron scored two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half to sentence Barnoldswick Town to another North West Counties League defeat.

The afternoon had started brightly for the Premier Division strugglers with a third-minute goal from Joel Melia.

He raced clear past Shaun Harris as he made a powerful run down the touchline before sending in a cross which Bootle goalkeeper Dean Porter misjudged as it curled into the top corner.

Town nearly increased their lead after 21 minutes when Chris Simpson raced clear of the Bootle defence before chipping the ball over the advancing Porter and just wide of the post.

The town keeper Chris Taylor was brought into the action two minutes when he was forced to dive to tip a shot from Chris Tyson over the bar.

From the corner Bootle’s James McShane and Sean Coulton seemed to get in each others way as they tried to head the ball clear.

After a five-minute stoppage, McShane left the field with suspected cruciate ligament damage and was replaced by McGiveron.

The rest of the first half was fairly even, Paul Walker twice getting forward into the Bootle penalty area to deliver crosses that had Porter diving to collect at his near post.

The second half started with a bang as substitute McGiveron wrested the lead from Town, as he exposed the frailties in their defence.

A rasping shot from Tyson was tipped over the bar by the diving Taylor as Bootle threatened to extend their advantage.

McGiveron forced Taylor into another good save and Tom Peterson dragged his shot wide of Taylor’s right hand post when well positioned.

Town rarely looked like equalising and with five minutes left, Matthew Cavanagh cleared a Jason McShane shot from off the line as Bootle pressed forward.

The match ended with Taylor having to make another good save, this time from Bootle left-back Harris, as he drove into the Town penalty area.

The second half was disappointing after a first period which was full of encouragement for the Town faithful.