Hilal Khan came off the bench to rescue Trafford with a 72nd minute wonder goal that earned his side a valuable point in a physical encounter at the Berry Street Garage Stadium.
It was all Bootle in the opening fifteen minutes with Ben Hodkinson firing a shot from 10 yards that was parried by Sam Booth, Joe Woolley volleying over from the edge of the penalty area and Courtney Duffus heading a corner from the left inches wide.
However, in the 16th minute and with their first meaningful attack of the game, Trafford took the lead when Rio Clegg seized upon a weak back pass by Sean Williams, brilliantly skipped past Bootle keeper Tony Thompson and coolly slotted the ball home.
Three minutes later Brad Byrne squandered a glorious chance to make it two when he broke clear but, with only Thompson to beat, shot wide of the far post.
Ryley Smith then appeared to be tripped by a home defender but Trafford’s vehement appeals for a penalty were turned down and as half-time approached the hosts once again began to dominate.
Sam Booth brilliantly pushed a Joe Woolley drive to safety and then blocked a vicious short range shot by Ben Hodkinson before Andy Scarisbrick headed over from eight yards.
And in the dying seconds of the first half Booth performed heroics once more with a superb save at point blank range to keep out a header by Tom Hannigan.
The second half began with Rio Clegg cracking a 20 yard effort that was parried by Thompson and the Trafford striker was then inches away from converting a low cross by Matty Morgan.
In the 57th minute Bootle levelled when dangerman Hodkinson broke down the left and struck a great cross to the far post where Joe Woolley arrived to head past Booth.
Eight minutes later the Merseysiders surged ahead when the mercurial Hodkinson swept past Harry Norris on the left and struck a wicked low cross that the retreating Jerome Wright had the misfortune to turn into his own goal.
Bootle pushed forward in search of a third goal and in the 71st minute Andy Scarisbrick thundered a shot against the crossbar from 20 yards.
Trafford immediately launched a counter attack and Hilal Khan, who had only been introduced to the action four minutes earlier, stepped inside a defender and curled a magnificent drive from 25 yards past Thompson and into the top corner.
Sam Booth parried another shot by Scarisbrick with Hodkinson heading the rebound just wide and then Hodkinson himself volleyed fiercely into the side-netting from the right.
At the other end the impressive Hilal Khan struck another shot from 25 yards inches wide and the final action of an enthralling encounter saw Bootle substitute Kenzie O’Neill shoot straight at Sam Booth from 10 yards. (Photo courtesy of Paul Moran - @paulmoran62 on Twitter/X)