Colne got off to a great start under new manager ex-Burnley player Paul Weller at Bootle on Saturday. The Reds showed plenty of determination in a difficult away fixture on Merseyside and came away with all three points in a well deserved win.
In a perfect opening to the game, Colne took the lead after only three minutes when Harry Winstanley’s high cross into the Bootle goalmouth was headed home by Danny Kyobe as he rose to challenge the keeper in the goalmouth.
Bootle looked for a quick reply with attacks on the left wing by Arthur Lomax-Jones and Eddie Clarke but Colne defended well with good clearances by Jacob Bridges and Finley Devenney to cancel out the danger.
And as play switched to the other end, Owen Watkinson worked hard to create chances for a second goal with Luke Stowe finding gaps in the home defence and Tom Fagan supplying long throws into the home penalty area.
But Lomax-Jones created some good chances for the home side and Jack McGowan forced a good save from Colne keeper Hakan Burton before Jacques Welsh headed wide from a half chance.
The second half became end-to-end with Clarke firing a low shot across the face of the Colne goal while Stowe almost snatched a second goal for Colne before Bootle keeper Curtis Anderson grabbed the ball at his feet.
Colne still managed to attack the home goal but the game swung towards Bootle as the half wore on and the Reds defence made some vital blocks and clearances in their penalty area to hold on to the lead. On 74 minutes, a Bootle free kick on the left wing was crossed into the Reds penalty area where a glancing near post header by Nivaldo Rodrigues-Ferreire sent the ball into the far corner of the net for an equaliser at 1-1.
The goal only served to spur Colne on and they struck back just four minutes later when Watkinson turned past a defender in the home penalty area and fired a low shot into the far corner of the net to restore the Reds lead at 2-1.
Colne fought hard to defend their lead as Bootle came forward again and Fagan cleared the ball off the line in a goalmouth scramble. But as play swung to the other end, Kyobe had the ball in the net for Colne but was adjudged to have fouled the keeper as the challenged for a high ball.
In the closing stages, it was Colne who looked the more likely to add to the scoresheet as Malick Diakite provided chances with good work on the left wing to open up the Bootle defence and Tom McCann pushed up on the right to give Watkinson openings in the area forcing the keeper into some good saves.
The result moves Colne one place nearer safety with six games left and this performance gives them cause for optimism.