Image credit: W Griff Photo
Colne’s search for a win continues after their latest defeat at Bootle on Saturday. A familiar tale of missed chances and a second half collapse saw them finish empty-handed against a useful Bootle team on Merseyside.
The Reds made a good start with Reece Webb-Foster testing the Bootle keeper Theo Roberts with a low shot after two minutes and putting pressure on the home goal with some promising attacks. But there was an early warning when Bucks striker Jack McGowan saw his long shot bounce off the top of the Colne crossbar in a swift counterattack.
Colne built a series of useful attacks and forced several corners but were unable to find a good finish as the home defence cleared the danger on each occasion. And after 23 minutes, a long ball forward sent McGowan clear at the other end and he finished with a low diagonal shot into the far corner of the net to give Bootle the lead.
Colne came close to an equaliser within a minute when Cameron Gourley’s throw was flicked on by Webb-Foster and bounced just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten. But Bootle were lifted by the goal and pushed forward stretching the Reds defence where Tom Dean and Lee Pugh made a series of vital clearances to prevent a second goal.
With half time approaching, Colne might have snatched an equaliser when Charlie Russell’s through ball sent Harry Winstanley on a run into the home penalty area and his shot was push round the post by the diving keeper.
Early in the second half, chances fell to Webb-Foster and Jack Worrall who shot wide on both occasions and Kingsley Williams saw his shot saved on the line by Roberts after Pugh’s searching cross reached him in the home penalty area.
But Bootle looked more dangerous as the game went on and after 71 minutes an attack on the left wing was half cleared to Matthew McDonald who fired a low shot into the bottom corner of the Colne net to double his side’s lead. Two minutes later, Bootle attacked on the right wing with Jay Roberts and McGowan exchanging passes before a high cross to the far post gave Declan McLoughlin a clear chance to score with a diving header into the Colne net for the Bucks third goal.
Bootle were on the ascendancy and Colne keeper Hakan Burton made a series of great saves keeping out a shot by Henri Ogunby before the loose ball was scrambled away, then a minute later, a double save from shots by Ben Hodkinson and Matty Hamilton from the rebound.
Colne looked for a consolation in the closing stages with Louis Myers joining the attack but shots by Webb-Foster and Russell were off target and failed to trouble the Bootle keeper.
Colne F.C. Line Up:
Burton / Gourley** / Dugdale* / Dean / Pugh / Haywood / Russell / Worrall*** / Williams / Webb-Foster / Winstanley
Subs:
Shepherd / Hasler-Cregg* / Lent** / Myers*** / Thorpe
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