Feisty match sees Town fall to heavy defeat
RUNCORN TOWN suffered a second-half collapse in their 4-0 defeat to Bootle FC on Tuesday night.
Runcorn’s run of five away games on the bounce was always going to be a tricky run but Saturday’s fine win over Whitchurch had been the best possible start to five weeks on the road.
Runcorn went with the same lineup from Saturday’s win, with the only squad alterations being Liam Turner and Rio Gill coming in on the bench, while Bootle’s line-up featured former Town players Michael Carberry and Rob Doran.
It was a slow start for Runcorn as Bootle’s Connolly latched onto an early loose ball but fired just wide.
There was then a somwhat surprising early change for Runcorn as Kevin Exell made way for Deklan Hill.
Bootle continued to dominate possession and had chances through Cameron Dalton but Town offered some resistance in the form of Shaun Weaver and Joe Holt who went close to breaking the deadlock.
It was a very pedestrian and scrappy first-half in which Runcorn often struggled to wrestle back possession from Bootle, who passed the ball with urgency and intent.
Runcorn looked to be heading into the break where they could regroup in the face of Bootle’s dominance but on the edge of half-time their frustrations told as Town’s Deklan Hill saw a straight red for a wild and reckless challenge – a challenge that would ultimately change the course of the game.
The second half got under way and immediately Bootle made ten-man Town pay as former Runcorn man Rob Doran put Bootle 1-0 up.
It quickly became a feisty affair with yellow cards dished out to Carberry and and one for Ben Cartwright. Runcorn looked to be making a push to get level and began to counter Bootle’s time on the ball with some clever counter-attacking.
On 67 minutes Declan McGivern had a rasping shot pushed wide by the
Bootle keeper and it looked as though Town’s hard work would pay off.
On 70 mins player manager McManus came off for Rio Gill in persuit of fresh legs as Runcorn began to push Bootle hard for the equaliser, however on 74 minutes Bootle’s Connor Millington broke Town hearts as he coolly finihsed past Reid in the Runcorn net to make it 2-0 to Bootle.
Dave Forbes then almost halved the defecit but on 79 minutes it was game over as a ball through the centre found Connolly – who, again, clinically finished past Reid to make it 3-0.
Runcorn introduced Liam Ward as they attempted to get something from the game but being a man down took its toll as in the third minute of added time a calamitous mix up in the Runcorn backline between McGivern and Reid saw Warren Jevons taking advantage to make it 4-0 to Bootle.
It was a tough night for Runcorn but two away games in just four days was always going to be a tough task for any team.
The defeat leaves Runcorn 11th in the table as they now face Winsford away on January 11 for a 3pm kick off.
BOOTLE .................................................. 4 RUNCORN TOWN ................................. 0