AT 2-0 up, Warrington Rylands looked in a fine position to progress in the Liverpool Senior Cup last night.
Sean Cooke and Harry Pratt had both scored their first goals for the club to put them in control at the break – Cooke netted from the penalty spot while Pratt converted a shot from a tight angle.
However, it would be penalties that would be Blues’ undoing at Gorsey Lane as visitors Bootle won 4-2 in a shoot-out having fought back to secure a 2-2 draw in normal time thanks to goals from Billy Smart and Tom Peterson.
Despite exiting the competition, Rylands boss Jody Banim insists there was plenty to be pleased about having given senior debuts to 16-year-old Troy Hives and Regan Corrigan, 18, from the club’s under 21 side.
“I thought we played some really nice stuff, to be honest,” he said.
“We didn’t settle very well in the first five minutes but after that, we dominated the first half. We scored two very nice goals and could have scored another couple.
“We’ve come out and done the exact same thing in the second half, but we didn’t kill the game with that third goal.
“We’ve given them an opportunity to get back into it from a cross then it’s a good finish from distance. It was a mad five minutes but other than that, we’ve controlled the game.
“We only had 10 available senior players so we’ve had to rely on Troy and Regan coming in from the 21s.
“I’m really pleased for them – I thought Regan did really well on the left-hand side. It showcases the pathway from the youth section so I’m very pleased with that.
“We’re disappointed not to get the win, but we’re focused on the league.”
The NPL West outfit started the better, with Simon Wills firing over Rylands bar from the edge of the area before the home side took the lead in the 13th minute.
Cooke scored his first goal for the club, converting from the penalty spot after Pratt had been clumsily bundled over by Bootle defender Lance Houghton.
Bootle’s Jack Flight was causing problems down the right wing - Jordan Mustoe ended one run with a perfectly-timed sliding tackle as he bore down on goal and debutant goalkeeper Jack Cookson cut out two dangerous crosses.
Three minutes before half time, Rylands doubled their advantage when Pratt opened his scoring account in a Blue shirt.
Kelly N’Mai intercepted a poor clearance from Bootle goalkeeper Joe Mason and played the ball in behind the defence, allowing Pratt to round the keeper and slot the ball home from a tight angle.
Rylands, who controlled the game for large parts, started the second half with N’Mai blazing a shot over the bar and Pratt drawing a fine save from Mason with a shot from the edge of the area.
Bootle rallied and gave notice of their intent when Peterson glanced a header wide of the target from a cross in the 72nd minute.
Five minutes later, substitute Smart bundled the ball into Rylands net by meeting a corner at the far post to force the ball home.
Peterson leveled the scores in the 82nd minute, curling a shot into the top corner with the ball hitting the post on its way into the net.
As the game entered stoppage time, Bootle thought they had won the tie when Callum Longworth turned a cross from the right into Rylands net, but a raised linesman’s flag indicated he was offside.
Ten minutes later, Bootle were celebrating again after winning the penalty shoot-out.
Rylands: Cookson, Mantack, Mustoe, Egerton, Duxbury (Hives), Neild, N'Mai, Furman, Pratt, Cooke, Corrigan. Sub not used: Torrance
Additional reporting by Garry Clarke
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