ST Helens Town continued their build-up to the new season with a demanding friendly at home to Hallmark Security League Championship front-runners Bootle last Thursday.

Although they twice fell four goals behind, they rallied well to run their Merseyside rivals close at the end, going down 3-5 in an entertaining contest at Ruskin Drive.

Fielding a mixed line-up of established players and trialists, Town struggled in the first half and only casual finishing by the visitors restricted them to only a 2-0 interval lead, but they soon made it 4-0.

St Helens began a spirited fightback in the last 15 minutes, Joel Douglas pulling a goal back, but almost from the re-start, Bootle restored their four-goal cushion at 5-1.

However, the last twelve minutes saw Town finish much the stronger and new forwards Brad Grime and Jake Young both scored good goals to take the final score to a creditable 5-3.

Saturday saw Town take part in the Dennis Bellairs Trophy, a new venture, comprising four teams, at Prescot Cables’ ground. Last season’s all-conquering City of Liverpool were shocked by Rainhill Town in the opening semi-final, going down 1-0, over two 30-minute halves, but St Helens came up against a rampant Cables eleven, who had finished last season on a real high.

Town had no answer to the razor-sharp Cables’ forward line and having restricted Prescot to a one-goal lead at the break, they could not get out of their own half in the second period, as Prescot put the young St Helens side to the sword, running out easy 6-0 winners.

Town then had to remain on the pitch to play City of Liverpool in the consolation play-off game and duly went down 3-0.

On Thursday night they will be hoping for a change in fortunes when they return to Ruskin to take on Maine Road (kick-off 7.45pm) in another friendly and two days later, Burscough are the visitors for a 12.30pm start on the 3G surface.

The final pre-season warm-up comes a week on Saturday, 5 August, away to Vauxhall Motors.