Nantwich Town opened up their 2024/25 league campaign with a 2-0 defeat away at Bootle, writes Liam Price.
Now the Dabbers will hope their opening home game tomorrow night (August 13) will notch their first victory of the new Northern Premier League West season.
At Bootle, both teams looked to shake off any lingering rustiness from pre-season and FA Cup exploits.
Dabbers keeper Ben Garratt pushed away a cross that may have been curling towards goal for the first corner of the match.
Officials made some controversial decisions for both sides, which results in 11 yellow cards, including several for dissent.
Michael Burkey, who struck a hat-trick in this very fixture last season, missed the target with Bootle’s first attempt of the game.
Nantwich captain Troy Bourne was then penalised for a challenge on the left edge of the box where he seemed to win the ball relatively cleanly.
From that free kick, Bootle came the closest to opening the scoring.
Sean Williams’ header via some wind assistance struck the corner of post and bar and bounced away with Garratt a spectator.
The Dabbers’ first two corners showed promise but came to nothing, Courtney Meppen-Walters winning a knockdown that wasn’t followed up and Kelvin Mellor not testing Tony Thompson in the Bootle goal.
The last moment of controversy came shortly before the break.
Burkey and Joel Connolly went up for an aerial challenge, Burkey led with his elbow and made some sort of contact but nothing was given.
The Dabbers defence was opened up for the first real time on the hour mark.
Two defenders failed to cut out a through ball allowing Tom Peterson space, but he rushed his shot and dragged it well wide.
Quickly after came the best Nantwich opportunity.
Kai Evans breached the Bootle backline and did everything right in squaring for Tom Reilly but it was a superb block to deny Reilly.
The Bucks broke away up the other end and came close.
Paul Carden brought on Callum Saunders for Reilly for another body high up. And it nearly bore fruit with more chances.
Evans had a shot but it was straight at the significant figure of Thompson from a narrow angle.
The two renewed acquaintances minutes later.
Evans was slotted in behind the defence but he couldn’t finish and Thompson was able to save.
Bootle scored at the other end but were flagged offside.
However, they weren’t to be denied in their next attack.
To rub salt in the wound of Nantwich’s missed chances, Andy Scarisbrick turned and fired into the bottom corner from around the edge of the box.
Evans fired over and then another excellent piece of defending stopped Matty Tweedley in his tracks as he looked to let fly in the box.
Then in the last moments of the game, a free kick was expertly curled in by Bootle sub Jack Lenehan to seal their three points.
It was a game with echoes of the first half of last season for Nantwich, being punished for missed chances.
Nantwich will look to hit back from the defeat when they welcome Hednesford Town to the Swansway Stadium tomorrow (Tuesday 13th August) at 7.45pm.
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