A game against Bootle always makes me break out into a cold sweat ! I still get PTSD flashbacks from what was our worst NWCFL defeat, back on 30th November 2019 when we went down 7-2 away at Vesty Road. A certain well known virus came along and we were unable to play the return game at the Vestacare Stadium and attempt to gain a modicum of revenge.
Since then we’ve locked horns more than once but still failed to gain a victory over the north Liverpool side.
We did finally welcome Bootle to our home ground in the midst of the pandemic, an FA Cup Extra Preliminary tie was staged in front of a limited crowd of 290 on 2nd Sept 2020 and included a visit from the GMP!
Bootle shaded an entertaining tie 2-1, scoring a winner right at the death to break our hearts. Avros goal coming from the bench in the form of midfielder Joe Rathbone. The game saw Avro debuts for Danny White, Anthony Hall and Oumar Camara, signed from Prestwich Heys, Bacup and Chadderton respectively. None would stay with us for long, although Oumar Camara did have a habit of finding the back of the net,he couldn’t nail down a regular place with either Lee O’Brien or Alex Frost and he moved on to Mossley and then Ramsbottom United.
We lined up that night :
Latham, Poxon, Hewitt, Morrow, Wood, Chalmers, Jacobs, White, Camara, Hall, Wallwork
SUBS : Frost, Rathbone.J, Hampson, Grimshaw, Harrop.
After that evening our paths didnt cross until last season in the Northern Premier League when Bootle achieved a league double over us, winning 1-0 in Liverpool and 3-1 at the Vestacare, with Kyle Hawley netting for Avro.
This season we fought out a close battle at Vesty road in the late Summer sunshine, going ahead in the 13th minute with a great strike from Liam Ellis. However it’s always a battle on Merseyside and the home side came back with 2 goals, including another late winner from Michael Burkey in the 83rd minute.
Avro’s side that afternoon was :
Shenton, Dom Smalley, Fitzpatrick, Dwyer, Ebhote, Hickman, Cottrell, Carney, Hawley, Grewal, Ellis. SUBS : Davidson, Lowe, Wallwork, Warburton, Ehimamiegho.
Bootle currently sit in 10th position, a place and point ahead of ourselves. Bootle score goals (38) but they also concede (38) to Avro’s 24 conceded in league games. It’s been difficult so far for Bootle but with Mick McGraa in the dugout you know that his sides never concede defeat without a fight and Mick has a good record against us, so it will be interesting to see if we can extend our current undefeated run of fine form on this pre-Christmas Friday night. Let’s get behind Norts, Birchy and all the lads and get the 3 points up for grabs.
Up The Ro!
Mark.
