Town pay late penalty in thriller with Bucks
● BOOTLE ....................................................... 3 RUNCORN TOWN ...................................... 3
RUNCORN TOWN were denied a third successive win in the Hallmark Security League Premier Division after Bootle scored a last minute equaliser in a 3-3 thriller at the TDP Solicitors Stadium on Tuesday night.
It was the home side who took the lead after 15 minutes though leading goalscorer Ryan Cox. The ball was played into him from the left by Michael Ordish, with the striker turning despite pressure from Simon Thelwell before firing into the corner of the net.
Town levelled on 27 minutes from the penalty spot through Paul McManus. Joe Holt played in Kev Exell who was felled in the box with McManus making no mistake from 12 yards.
The scores were level at the break but Town were ahead just two minutes into the second half when Harry Brazel burst through into the box and wrong-footed Bucks goalkeeper Ryan Jones before slotting the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
It should have been three a minute later when Mark Reed’s shot from an acute angle went right across the goalline with the goal at his mercy.
Town paid for that after 57 minutes when Carl Peers equalised. Andy Gillespie was given too much space on ● the edge of the box and forced Adam Reid into a fine save only for the ball to fall into the path of Peers who tapped home.
The game was end-to-end and with 10 minutes remaining Town took the lead. A rash foul on the edge of the box resulted in a free-kick which Keiron Evans took only for the ball to rebound of the underside of the crossbar. Exell was onto it in a flash and found the bottom corner to make it 3-2. ●
Bootle surged forward looking for an equaliser and they got it as the contest entered stoppage-time.
Thelwell made a rash challenge just inside the box on substitute Ste Milne with the referee pointing to the spot. Liam Loughlin stepped up and hit the same spot that McManus had done earlier in the game to make it 3-3.
Seven minutes of stoppage-time followed with neither side able to find a winner, with a draw probably a fair result in what was a great advert for the Hallmark Security League.
Despite the late setback, Town boss Chris Herbert was in upbeat mood after the game.
He said: “What a credit to the North West Counties League this game was tonight. Anyone who paid to get in certainly got their money’s worth. The game was end-to-end and every attack from both sides looked like they were going to score.
“The game had everything. Bad decisions and good decisions for both sides, two penalties, some great finishes, two sides playing some excellent football on a good pitch and some great defending at the back against arguably two of the best attacking sides in the league.
“We were a little gutted in the dressing room to concede what was a very dubious penalty when it was clear to everyone that Si Thelwell won the ball.
“However overall I think a draw was fair result to all the lads out there tonight that performed so well in a very entertaining game.
“We’ve picked up seven points from nine now, and we go in to the Burscough game on Saturday with confidence and desire to get to where we need to be in the league.”