ST HELENS Town played much better on Tuesday than they did at Winsford, but still came away on the back of another 3-0 defeat. This was a completely different game: they played more football than their hosts, but were out of luck with regard to both their attacking play and the first goal they conceded.

On a different night, the final score might have better reflected their contribution to an open game.

Bootle were fortunate to go ahead on 26 minutes when a shot at goal ricocheted off another home team player and found centre forward Tom Peterson in space.

He had the simple task of beating Rory Crowther from close range.

A few minutes later, Steve Williams let fly from 35 yards and Crowther pulled off a great save, pushing the ball round his near post. Town roared back after 35 minutes, when Andy Gillespie carved out an opening and laid on a low cross which eluded Chad Whyte’s lunge by a matter of inches with the open goal beckoning. Five minutes from the break, Peterson scored a second, taking full advantage of a defensive mistake, netting from the edge of the penalty area for a fine opportunist’s goal.

Town had by far the lion’s share of possession in the second half and although starting two goals down, they enjoyed long periods of possession, with left Bootle trying to seize on a limited number of breaks. The visitors had a few half-chances that amounted to nothing, but they went closer and closer as the half wore on. Crowther was called into action to deal with two good shots from Bootle in the 54th and 70th minutes, but his luck ran out five minutes later when, after parrying a fierce drive, he could only watch as the ball trickled out to Williams who tapped in for the third goal.

In the last 15 minutes, as they attempted to salvage something from an encouraging performance, St Helens were thwarted by a whole series of deflections and goalline clearances. On 78 minutes Gillespie beat the keeper to the ball 10 yards away from his near post, but his shot from the tightest of angles rolled across the empty goal inches away from a score.

Substitute Karl Bergqvist then set up Chris Cottington but keeper Richie Cowderoy, playing against his old team, tipped his shot around the upright. With only a few minutes remaining, Hamish Falconer’s header was just kept out and from James Rushton-Woods’ corner, Aaron Morris’s downward header bounced off the turf and over the bar.

The home game on Saturday resulted in another 3-0 defeat, this time to West Didsbury & Chorlton. Town started brightly and Gillespie curved a wonderful shot just outside the far post, but West scored twice in two minutes just before half-time to take a stranglehold on the game.

Jerome Bryson netted on 38 minutes after Crowther had parried a shot and Matt Eckersley hit a wonderful drive on 40 minutes. Town never looked like scoring in the second half and the visitors wrapped it up with a third goal from Tre Baldwin-Willis.

Town entertain Nostell Miners Welfare in the FA Vase this Sunday. Their opponents from Wakefield have yet to win this season, so St Helens have every chance of progressing in the competition they won at Wembley back in 1987.