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Sat 28 Aug 2021 · Northern Premier League - West
Bootle
Trafford F.C.
2
3
R Davidson (34'), A Belcher (78'), M Burke (16')
BOOTLE 2, TRAFFORD 3
Dave Law29 Aug 2021 - 06:33
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Magnificent victory against all odds!
A young, injury-hit Trafford side pulled off a magnificent victory against all the odds on Merseyside on Saturday.
The hosts should have taken the lead after just two minutes when Elliott Hughes was clean through but shot hopelessly wide with just debutant 18-year-old goalkeeper Dermot Mee, on loan from Manchester United, to beat.
Trafford’s task was made all the more difficult in the 7th minute when centre back Adam Rooney was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury and was replaced by another youngster Matty Barlow.
Undaunted, the visitors pushed forward and after Matty Morgan made several darting runs down the left, they took the lead in the 16th minute when Alfie Belcher fed Mike Burke who shot first time inside the far post from 15 yards.
Bootle then saw a goal disallowed for offside and centre half William Bell headed wide from a corner, before Ross Davidson made it two with a superb volley that flew past Ryan Jones following a Belcher free kick.
In the 41st minute a tremendous counter-attack by Trafford ended with Mike Burke breaking free but Jones left his line to block at point blank range.
The second half began with Bootle storming forward and within three minutes of the restart Elliott Hughes reduced the arrears when he crashed the ball home after weak defending by the visitors.
And in the 51st minute the score was levelled when Trafford fell asleep at a short corner and allowed Kieran Halligan to flight a cross that was glanced into the bottom corner by William Bell.
It was now all Bootle and further goals seemed inevitable but with Ross Davidson and James Neild performing heroically in the centre of the defence and keeper Mee supremely confident, they somehow held out and rocked the home supporters with a brilliantly crafted winner in the 78th minute.
Darius Palma and Mike Burke combined neatly out on the right flank and when the latter drilled a low cross to the near post, man-of-the-match Alfie Belcher arrived to steer the ball past Jones.
Dermot Mee produced fairly routine saves to thwart Carl Peers and Kieran Halligan and the final whistle signalled a wonderful victory for Danny Caldecott’s young team.
Trafford will need to patch themselves up and go again in just 48 hours as they entertain Glossop in the Northern Premier League at the Home Estates Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3pm.
(Picture courtesy of Grant Roxburgh)
The hosts should have taken the lead after just two minutes when Elliott Hughes was clean through but shot hopelessly wide with just debutant 18-year-old goalkeeper Dermot Mee, on loan from Manchester United, to beat.
Trafford’s task was made all the more difficult in the 7th minute when centre back Adam Rooney was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury and was replaced by another youngster Matty Barlow.
Undaunted, the visitors pushed forward and after Matty Morgan made several darting runs down the left, they took the lead in the 16th minute when Alfie Belcher fed Mike Burke who shot first time inside the far post from 15 yards.
Bootle then saw a goal disallowed for offside and centre half William Bell headed wide from a corner, before Ross Davidson made it two with a superb volley that flew past Ryan Jones following a Belcher free kick.
In the 41st minute a tremendous counter-attack by Trafford ended with Mike Burke breaking free but Jones left his line to block at point blank range.
The second half began with Bootle storming forward and within three minutes of the restart Elliott Hughes reduced the arrears when he crashed the ball home after weak defending by the visitors.
And in the 51st minute the score was levelled when Trafford fell asleep at a short corner and allowed Kieran Halligan to flight a cross that was glanced into the bottom corner by William Bell.
It was now all Bootle and further goals seemed inevitable but with Ross Davidson and James Neild performing heroically in the centre of the defence and keeper Mee supremely confident, they somehow held out and rocked the home supporters with a brilliantly crafted winner in the 78th minute.
Darius Palma and Mike Burke combined neatly out on the right flank and when the latter drilled a low cross to the near post, man-of-the-match Alfie Belcher arrived to steer the ball past Jones.
Dermot Mee produced fairly routine saves to thwart Carl Peers and Kieran Halligan and the final whistle signalled a wonderful victory for Danny Caldecott’s young team.
Trafford will need to patch themselves up and go again in just 48 hours as they entertain Glossop in the Northern Premier League at the Home Estates Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3pm.
(Picture courtesy of Grant Roxburgh)
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