LAST GASP GLORY

15th October 2016 - Bootle FC 2 v 1 Hanley Town  - Today myself and my good lady were required to lead a fungus walk at Formby NT which was due to run from 10am to 1.30pm.  I decided to see if there was any local footy on after the walk so we could make the most of a day out - Bootle FC provided the opportunity.  So, after leading 20+ people on a walk around the woods and dunes and clocking up a total of 61 species we had a cup of cha and some lemon drizzle cake, set off in the car and arrived at the ground with 30 minutes to spare.  A chat to a Hanley face I know from several matches and we took up our positions to watch our 21st match of the season.  Tis all go in the Fungalised household.

The opening period saw Bootle start the brighter with an early warning shot not hitting the goal but slamming into the nadgers of the home sides defender and forcing more than a grimace on the players boat race.  Immediately after another scramble was almost poked home and then the busy No 3 had a quickfire shot that was neatly pushed away by the alert Hanley netman. Bootle just possessed a sharper edge during the opening scramblings and it was the aforementioned No 3 that offered width and options.  Despite this Hanley beavered and bustled and looked highly capable of sneaking a lead goal.  The half became somewhat stale though with both teams happy to slowly build from the back but lacking that final piercing pass to open up the guts of their opponent.  Bootle still had the upper hand and when much probing forced the away goalie to drag a striker down (and luckily escape a card, or did I miss something) the ball broke free and was slotted home by Carl Peers, much to the relief of the home fans.  Bootle now grabbed the gonads of the game and began to squeeze with sincerity and another quick follow up goal looked on the cards.  Another break came, that No 3 (again) made space and the resulting shot was fortunately deflected to the keeper - now that would have put Hanley in the mire!  I will give the away team their due, somehow they wheedled their way back into the match and brought a great save from the home No 1 but this led to a swift breakaway that somehow brought no further addition to the scoreline. The rest of the half brought little in the way of orgasmic action although Hanley came closest when a nut put the ball just wide and a cross cum shot just missed.  The match was still anyone's to win!

Half-time - tea and a burger, very nice too and after the usual relief of the bladder it was back to our positions to watch the final 45 minutes.

Initially the second half was more of the same with mistimed runs, poor final balls and overly cautious build-ups the order of the day.  Bootle were still shading things and should have doubled their lead as a cross led to a sure-fire tap in that was miraculously saved on the line. The difference at this stage was that Bootle seemed to have a greater awareness of one another, a firmer cohesion and pushed and squeezed harder when without the ball.  They seemed more committed to do the dirty unglamorous work and as a result forced the away side to make panic decisions and lose the ball in the easiest of circumstances.  The No 1 of Hanley (Joseph Hemmings)  was having a good game and produced a couple more saves as well as watching a power shot fly high into the sky.  I was now expecting no further goals despite Hanley once more forcing themselves back into proceedings.  Their perseverance was admirable and when a cross led to a shot and a slight deflection helped it homewards one couldn't help feeling that the teams, in some small way, deserved to be on level terms. Jonathan Higham celebrated his goal with his teammates and they all must have thought that the game was there for the taking.  Bootle must have been gutted at this equaliser but their heads stayed high and they went at the game with renewed vigour.   A shot best described as 'wank' was a waste, but on the lads pushed and with only seconds to go the game was snatched at the death as Joe Powell gained the glory in the 90th minute with the much sought after goal that sent all and sundry...crackers.  It was a crescendo to a hard fought affair and somehow one could feel that something of this ilk would be the only real way to separate the sides.  Man of the Match for me was Bootle's No 3 (Mikey Ordish) who worked the flank well, offered width, made several good runs and who, with a bit more leg work, can go on to be an even greater handful for defenders.

FINAL THOUGHT - They always say that it is never over until the fat lady sings - who is this fat lass, what the hell does she sound like and is she as in control of fortune as people make out? The game here was decided by a 'never say die' attitude and a desire to not settle for a sole point.  Bootle wanted it just a little more and so gained the end prize.  Hanley are a good team though and all they need to do is work hard for the full 90 minutes and before the kick off of each and every match make sure the aforementioned Fat Lady gets a good kick up her expansive rear!