BOOTLE handed out a harsh lesson in finishing as St Helens Town went out of the Macron Cup at the Third Round stage at Bucks Park last Tuesday by a 5-1 scoreline which belied the effort Town put into the match.

The game was postponed at Prescot on 26 November and efforts to re-arrange the game two days later fell on stony ground so, under cup rules, Town lost home advantage and the game was switched to Bootle, who currently lie second in the Premier Division of the Hallmark Security League, 30 places above St Helens.

Despite their defeat, Town at least escaped a finding from the league disciplinary committee that they had failed to fulfil a fixture and no action was taken against either club for the second postponement.

Town took the lead in the third minute, Andy Gillespie firing home from Danny Greene’s corner but, straight from the re-start, Bootle equalised through Ryan Cox, the ex-AFC Liverpool forward, who netted the first of a personal haul of four goals on a very wet night.

St Helens replied in a lively first-half with good shots from Will Threlkeld and Luke Edwards, both saved by Ryan Jones in the Bootle goal and the same keeper pulled off a great finger-tip save to deny Threlkeld once again in the 35th minute, only for Bootle to run the length of the field and score a second goal through Kieran Haligan.

Town conceded again five minutes before the break, Cox netting again to send the home side in at half-time 3-1 ahead.

Ste Rigby was denied what appeared to be a clear penalty early in the second period and Threlkeld was likewise unlucky not to win a spot kick in similar circumstances, before Edwards set up Andy Presho, who could only hit his clear-cut chance high over the bar as Town turned the screw.

In a rare Bootle raid, Andy Donohue headed the ball out for a corner, but Town remained in control for most of the second half without managing to score.

Bootle stepped up a gear towards the end and Town conceded two soft goals through Cox in the 72nd and 81st minutes to give the final score a rather distorted look.

Back to league business on Saturday and the return fixture with Bacup.

The away game ended in a 1-1 draw in October, Bacup rescuing a point in the very last minute after a bad-tempered affair.

This was the start of Town’s current unbeaten league run and their 2-0 win last weekend was their fifth in a row, which has seen them climb from 18th to tenth in the First Division table, their third clean sheet on the bounce.

However, it was another tough encounter, with a man dismissed on each side and many a case of shirt pulling and niggly tackles from the visitors from East Lancashire.

St Helens should have won by many more goals, but for the incessant rain and a solid display from the Bacup keeper Aaron Ashley, ably assisted by the crossbar and goalposts.

Ant Whelan had a mixed afternoon, returning from a three-game suspension, he hit a pile-driver from 20 yards to seal the win, made a number of excellent tackles, but was sent-off for hand-ball which led to the award of a penalty, which debutant goal-keeper Adam Fairchild did very well to save.

Whelan and Donohue both hit the crossbar in the first-half and Danny Greene, who tormented the Bacup defence time and time again, turned several players inside out in a run which started on the half-way line and ended in the six-yard box, before being denied by Ashley at full stretch, deserved a goal, but the team had to wait until two minutes before half-time before Dale Korie-Butler set up Gillespie for the first goal.

Soon afterwards, Bacup centre-forward Wayne Morrison received a straight red card for what the referee thought was a horrible foul on Eddie Pegler, although Morrison himself disputed the decision later, claiming he was innocent.

Town were so far ahead on chances in the second half against ten men that they ought to have won by many more, but had to be satisfied with just the two, Whelan blasting home on the hour.

Next Saturday sees Town travel South to take on the much-improved Whitchurch Alport, who currently lie second in the table. Last season, Town beat them 5-0 away and by a record 10-0 at home.

However, they have strengthened very well this season and are an entirely different proposition.

This is the last fixture before Christmas and the next home match is on Boxing Day, against Litherland REMYCA, at Prescot.

There is still no news as to when the new ground at Ruskin Drive will be available, although progress is currently being made with regard to the hard standings for the buildings on site.