His eighth goal for the Reds in thirteen games came courtesy of a header and gave the home side the breakthrough on twenty minutes. Bacup had a chance to level the scores shortly before half time when they were awarded a penalty but a save from Leon Bimpson ensured he kept a clean sheet.

It’s a result that sees the Reds finish nineteenth in the table with forty five points from their forty two games, twenty nine of which came in the last fifteen games as they racked up nine wins and two draws in that time.

AFC Liverpool manager Paul Moore was far from happy with the officials though as the Reds were denied a claim for another penalty and had their captain Steve Corris sent off late on for two seemingly innocuous challenges.

‘All people are talking about are the officials when they should be discussing the game,’ said Moore, who was quick to praise Bootle’s second half performance.

It was a performance that was needed from the visitors for them to take anything from the game after the Reds deservedly had a two goal half time lead. After a busy opening ten minutes the home side took the lead through Lawless’ second penalty in as many games. A long Darren Torpey throw in into the Bootle box wasn’t dealt with by the defence and Jack Sinnott nipped into to take possession only to be tripped as he did so.

A minute later Bootle probably should have been level as Michael Young came late onto O’Brien’s cross but put his header from six yards over the bar. However, that was the visitors only real chance of the half and the Reds could have been further ahead before Jones’ pinpoint strike just before the break.

Jones caught Mark Mawdsley unawares with an audacious curling effort from the touchline that unfortunately for the Reds’ striker ended up in the side netting and only a last second intervention from Elvis Banyihwabe prevented Lawless from volleying in his second of the match. The Bootle keeper was also grateful that Sinnott’s first time effort following a coming to between Mawdsley and O’Brien came straight back at him and Anthony Miley must have been thankful after his pull back on Jones inside the box went unpunished.

The second goal when it came though was a moment of pure Jones class. Steven Williams intercepted a pass just inside his own half and played a diagonal ball to the edge of the dee where Jones needed one touch with his left foot to bring the ball down before firing with his right foot beyond the dive of Mawdsley inside the far post.

The visitors came out after the break more determined and were back in the match within seven minutes when Thompson headed home unchallenged from inside the six yard box.

Bootle were having the better of the midfield battle but the Reds didn’t help their own cause by conceding possession too easily though the visitors weren’t really creating any chances. Banyihwabe had a free header from a Ryan Wilkinson free kick but was way off target and it wasn’t until O’Brien was presented with the opportunity on the edge of the box that Bootle drew level, curling the ball around the wall into the top corner and leaving Leon Bimpson rooted to his spot.

AFC Liverpool were struggling to create anything themselves though Shaun Harris should have at least hit the target when a quickly taken short corner garnered him plenty of time and space inside the area.

With a little under ten minutes remaining the referee made another contentious decision giving Corris his second yellow card of the evening and then with the match drawing to a close two more decisions went in the visitor’s favour. A raised boot near Williams’ face went unpunished which was immediately followed by an offside claim that wasn’t given as Thomspson raced to the edge of the box before being brought down by Torpey. It presented O’Brien with the chance to repeat his earlier strike and that’s exactly what he did, once again leaving Bimpson rooted to his spot as the ball curled into the top corner.

AFC Liverpool 2-3 Bootle
Lawless 12 (p)           Thompson 52′
Jones 45′                    O’Brien 66′, 89′

Attendance: 136

AFC Liverpool: 1.Leon Bimpson 2.Jack Sinnott 3.Darren Torpey 4.River Humphreys 5.Anthony Brown 6.Nevil Picton ( 16.Shaun Harris 64′) 7.John Lawless 8.Steven Williams 9.Steve Jones 10.Francis Barry (15.James Buckley 70′) 11.Steve Corris (C)
Unused Subs: 12.Muktar Mahama 14.Adam Waterhouse 18.Chris Williams
Bootle: 1.Mark Mawdsley 2.Anthony Miley (12.Neil McQueen 75′) 3.Jamie O’Brien 4.Michael Carberry5.Sean Coulton (C) 6.Michael Young (15.Josh Essery 70′) 7.John Hastings 8.Elvis Banyihwabe 9.Thomas Foley 10.Lee Thompson 11.Ryan Wilkinson
Unused Subs: 14.Kevin Black 16.Daniel O’Conor

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

‘It should have been more,’ said AFC Liverpool manager Paul Moore after the match as two of the goalscorers should have each walked away with a match ball and had a couple of other chances been converted, a double digit victory would have been just reward such was the Reds’ dominance of the match. It was their the best performance of the season, all the better for coming on a pitch that wasn’t the most conducive to passing football, a thought echoed by Moore who said ‘Some of the football we played today was tremendous, absolutely tremendous.’

Jones set the tempo for the match after five minutes, exchanging a one two with Lawless before rifling in a low drive and the Reds should have been ahead before Lawless’ spot kick on twenty seven minutes.

Francis Barry, who was a constant threat throughout the ninety minutes, squared the ball for Sinnott who slid in but stabbed the ball a yard wide. Less than sixty seconds later, Sinnott should have put the ball in the back of the net but directed his point blank header straight at David Dyson who moments later gratefully grabbed the ball as Barry was unable to properly wrap his foot around the ball when following up.

The Dominoes keeper though had little chance when Lawless placed his penalty into the corner after Jones had been kicked up into the air and had even less when Sinnott turned home Shaun Harris’ misdirected shot two minutes before the break after another foray down the right from Barry.

Sinnott was inches away from reaching another Barry cross a minute later but thirty seconds after the re-start he grabbed his second of the match following a little bit of controversy. Jones chased a Darren Torpey pass into the corner and though it appeared as though the ball crossed the bye-line, the referee waved play on and Jones pulled it back for Sinnott to smash home.

A bobble in the pitch denied Harris what surely would have been the fourth but the goal came anyway in the seventy third minute when Lawless slotted home Steven Williams’ pull back.

Barry fed Jones five minutes later and the Reds’ striker finished with his right at the second attempt after Dyson had saved his initial left footed effort.

Leon Bimpson, who had largely been a spectator for eighty minutes, showed his quality with a fine reaction save when a great volley by James Curley looked set to nestle in the top corner and a minute later the Reds’ keeper denied Stone’s number nine once again, parrying a close range flick.

However, that was the end of the visitor’s threat and normal service soon resumed when Lawless’ quick spot set Jones away and this time he only needed the one chance to put the ball past Dyson. The Reds’ number nine should have had his hat-trick thirty seconds later but uncharacteristically blasted over from ten yards when he had time to place his shot.

Barry almost got his name on the score sheet in the final seconds, racing to the ball ahead of the onrushing Dyson but saw his stabbed effort end up in the side netting which was scant reward for his hard work but he could take heart in his performance, as could all on the pitch in red as AFC Liverpool recorded their second biggest win of the season.

AFC Liverpool 6-0 Stone Dominoes
Lawless 27′(p), 73′
Sinnott 43′, 46′
Jones 79′, 89′

Attendance: 103

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

The hosts took the lead in twenty fifth minute when Steven Betteridge slid the ball underneath Leon Bimpson. The Reds pulled level on the stroke of half time as Muktar Mahama’s shot was deflected into the path of Harris and the Reds’ winger followed up to claim his first goal for the club.

John Lawless put his side into the lead on the hour mark, skipping around a couple of challenges before placing the ball into the back of the net. Francis Barry could have further extended the Reds’ lead after Harris was brought down in the box but the keeper saved his spot kick.

However, Jones made sure of all three points, slotting home after winning the ball and charging into the area two minutes from time.

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

It could have possibly been three points had Jack Sinnott’s perfectly good goal just before the break not been wrongly disallowed for offside but manager Paul Moore was happy with the point that edges his side that little bit closer to safety.

With a few players missing it was an unfamiliar look to the line up, with Shaun Harris and James Buckley making up the front two and it was Buckley who should have give the Reds the lead on the quarter hour mark. Breaking the offside trap, he latched onto Sinnott’s delicate ball over the Colne back line but one on one with Chris Thompson, Buckley got too much on the ball as he put over the keeper and it sailed over the bar.

Two minutes later, another good chance wasn’t capitalised upon when Muktar Mahama volleyed just wide as Buckley flicked on Humphrey’s free kick.

Having taken a while to get into the match, the visitors twice came close to taking the lead themselves. Leon Bimpson saved with his leg when Samuel Hayes shot on the turn from eight yards and when Darren Torpey was robbed of the ball, Boyle broke from his own half into the Reds’ area before driving driving low for the far corner, only for Bimpson to get a hand to the ball to divert it wide of the post.

However AFC Liverpool should have been a goal up going into the break. Anthony Brown’s ball forward was dummied by Harris, leaving Sinnott to collect on the edge of the area before smashing home past Thompson. The linesman though raised his flag, presumably mistakenly believing that Harris had touched the ball.

The Reds survived a goalmouth scramble early in the second half but were behind on fifty six minutes. Kieran Demiane’s corner was flicked on by Daniel Gleave and the ball dropped to Boyle, who volleyed through Bimpson from the corner of the six yard box.

AFC Liverpool never let their spirits drop and kept plugging away, though they couldn’t create any clear cut opportunities. Buckley’s deflected near post drive following Steven Williams’ break was the only save Thompson had to make. Their persistence was finally rewarded though on eighty nine minutes when Torpey’s delivery found Hamuphreys sneaking around the back and the centre back bundled the ball over the line to give the Reds a share of the spoils.

AFC Liverpool 1-1 Colne
Humphreys 89′           Boyle 56′

Attendance: 79

AFC Liverpool: 1.Leon Bimpson 2.Anthony Brown 3.Darren Torpey 4.River Humphreys 5.Adam Farley 6.Muktar Mahama 7.Adam Waterhouse (12.Chris Williams 74′) 8.Steven Williams (C) 9.James Buckley 10. Shaun Harris 11.Jack Sinnott
Unused Subs: 14.Paul Moore GK.Carl Williams
Colne: 1.Chris Thompson 2. Ted Cockett 3.Richard Johnson 4.Kieran Demaine 5.Billy Priestley 6.Daniel Gleave 7.Neil Stansfield (12. Ryan Brererton 81′) 8.Daniel Boyle
9.Samuel Hayes 10.James Crorken  11.Andrew Tinker (14.Mark Threlfall 81′)
Unused Sub: 15.Stephen Pickup

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

It was a deserved win for the visitors who had the better of the first half and were rarely troubled by the Reds throughout the ninety minutes and the margin of victory would have been more had Gaughan not contrived to put his header wide from inside the six yard box.

Silsden’s number nine showed what a threat he could be early on, forcing Leon Bimpson into a near post save following a quick break. The ability to get forward quickly and in numbers was a mainstay of Silsden’s gameplan and it almost brought them reward when Micheal Garrod found space down the left to fire in from a tight angle. Fortunately for the Reds, Bimpson got just enough on the ball to divert it beyond the far post.

The tactic finally paid off shortly before the break when a ball over the top, straight down the middle released Gaughan and he outpaced Chris Williams before smashing past Bimpson. The goalscorer almost doubled his tally a minute later but his instinctive overhead kick grazed the top of the net.

At the other end, Francis Barry skipped his way past a couple of defenders but fired straight into James Mann’s midriff but the keeper did have to stretch to turn behind Barry’s next chance that was heading to the top corner. Jack Sinnott was poised to head in Darren Torpey’s delivery until a vital defensive header denied him the goal and a Steven Jones corner ended up on the goal line but no-one in a red shirt could force the ball over the line before it was hacked clear.

The Reds looked to start the second half more positively and won a corner within thirty seconds but though Adam Farley had a free header, he could only guide the ball into the arms of Mann.

It should have been 2-0 to Silsden five minutes later when Ben Lamb whipped in a delicious cross to find Gaughan unmarked in the six yard box but somehow the ball dropped a yard wide of the post when it seemed impossible to miss.

John Lawless looked to curl one into the top corner from the edge of the box but his effort didn’t have the pace nor the accuracy to beat Mann and when the Reds’ number seven did have the keeper beaten, his shot on the turn had just a little too much power in it to keep it underneath the bar.

The closest AFC Liverpool came to finding a goal was in the last minute when Steven Williams’ curling free kick from twenty five yards clipped the outside of the post with Mann rooted to the spot and so the Reds, who finished the match with ten men after James Buckley saw red for kicking the ball away in frustration in the dying seconds, still need two wins to make sure they’re in the North West Counties Premier Division next season.

AFC Liverpool 0-1 Silsden
Gaughan 43′

Attendance: 105

AFC Liverpool: 1.Leon Bimpson 2.River Humphreys 3.Darren Torpey 4.Chris Williams (15.Steven Williams) 5.Adam Farley (C) 6.James Buckley 7.John Lawless 8.Jack Sinnott 9.Steven Jones 10.Francis Barry (12.Muktar Mahama) 11.Alex Kevan (14.Nevil Picton)
Unused Subs: 16.Shaun Harris GK.Carl Williams
Silsden: 1.James Mann 2.Matthew Moses 3.Danny McNulty 4.Tim Hird 5.Danny Bryan 6.James Nettleton (C) 7.Ben Lamb 8.John Douglas 9.Joseph Gaughan 10.Michael Garrod 11.Andy Lee

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

It was a scoreline that somewhat flattered the visitors, who barely threatened Leon Bimpson’s goal aside from the strikes by subs Billy McKenna and Ben Duffield, and both goals had more than a hint of controversy about them.

AFC Liverpool were a goal to the good at half time and it was a lead well deserved with the Reds comfortably in control of the first forty five minutes. John Lawless blasted a half volley from ten yards that fortunately for the visitors was straight at Kieran O’Boyle which allowed the keeper to beat the ball away and Jones flashed a snap shot a yard wide after James Buckley came close to dribbling his way through the crowd on the edge of the box.

The Reds’ number nine wasn’t to be denied though, when on forty three minutes Sinnott flicked on River Humphreys’ long throw in allowing Jones the chance to volley on the turn from six yards. It was his 26th goal in his forty first game, making him the club’s joint all time leading goalscorer and he was inches away from taking the record outright just two minutes later when he stretched to poke home following a scramble but the ball was cleared off the line.

An unassuming second half was seemingly wrapped up on seventy four minutes when Jones whipped in a delicious cross from the left giving Sinnott the simple tasking of heading home from close range.

The visitors though were handed a lifeline just two minutes later. As everyone in the ground stood expecting the referee to blow his whistle  for a seemingly blatant push on Humphreys, McKenna was alive to the fact that no punishment was forthcoming and brought his side back into the game, knocking the ball in from a couple of yards.

This gave impetus to AFC Blackpool but though they hurried, they failed to trouble the Reds and Kevan secured the result on eighty eight minutes when he volleyed into the top corner from the edge of the box.

There was still time though for the visitors to grab a second, as the Reds’ defence, static and appealing for a handball, allowed Duffield to collect a flick on and smash home past Bimpson with the last meaningful kick of the game.

AFC Liverpool 3-2 AFC Blackpool
Jones 43′                                McKenna 76′
Sinnott 74′                               Duffield 90′
Kevan 88′

Attendance: 122

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

On the balance of play, especially in the first half, it was a fair result but it could have been the home side celebrating a late winner but for Leon Bimpson. A virtual spectator for most of the match, he produced a fine save to prevent Chris Smith’s volley from the edge of the box from dropping underneath the bar a minute before the Reds broke up field to claim all the points. In between, Smith had a fair claim for a penalty when challenged by Adam Farley which was ignored by the referee and the ball was cleared. Lawless won possession on the halfway line, drove forward and released Barry, whose ball across the box allowed Jones to convert at the far post.

The Reds should have had control of the match before the half time whistle though. The home side converted their only chance of the half when Matt Pearson’s low cross ran through defenders and attackers to Marrow at the far post and his shot squirmed in between Bimpson and the post.

AFC Liverpool responded positively to the setback and soon had their opponents on the back foot. Darren Torpey’s long range shot was tipped onto the bar by Tom Harrison and as Town’s defence struggled to clear a Steve Corris free kick, Barry smashed a volley two yards wide. Harrison was grateful that Elliott Ledwards was alert to the danger after he fumbled Torpey’s cross but the keeper later redeemed himself as he twice saved from Jones. Anthony Brown headed Corris’ cross into the side netting and James Buckley’s flick on was plucked out of the air by Harrison and just as it appeared as though the Reds would be frustrated going into the break, Barry latched onto Corris’ first time pass and knocked the ball under the advancing Harrison to give his side their just reward.

The interval appeared to be a hindrance to the Reds as they lost their first half sparkle and the contest became more an even contest. Alsager should have regained the lead two minutes after the re-start when Corris inadvertently flicked on Harrison’s goal kick to set Smith away but Town’s number ten fluffed his shot with only Bimpson to beat. The Reds struggled to create chances but Harrison did well to get across his line and deal with a Lawless free kick that bounced just in front of him and that appeared to be all that was on offer until the late drama of injury time.

Alsager Town 1-2 AFC Liverpool
Marrow 10′              Barry 45′, Jones 90′

Attendance: 82

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

The home side caught the Reds napping and two goals from Ben Allen and one from Steve Cunningham put them into a commanding position with only fifteen minutes on the clock. Allen claimed his first after just two minutes; latching onto a long ball out of defence, he held off the challenge of River Humphries before slotting the ball past Leon Bimpson.

The lead was doubled on ten minutes when Cunningham rose unchallenged to convert a free kick delivered to the edge of the six yard box and things got even worse for the Reds just five minutes later when Allen turned in a whipped in cross from the left.

Shell shocked, AFC Liverpool responded almost immediately. Steve Corris’ through ball found Lawless with the Athletic back four looking for the offside flag, but the Reds’ striker stumbled and lost control of the ball as he attempted to round the keeper. Lawless made up for that missed opportunity though within a minute as Buckley’s pass found him on the edge of the box and his first time effort found the far corner.

Darren Torpey then had to clear Allen’s goalbound shot off the line to prevent the deficit going back to three goals and almost before breath could be drawn, Lawless was inches away from turning in Francis Barry’s ball across the six yard box back down at the other end. With a quarter of the match gone, a Barry corner was only cleared to Corris on the edge of the Athletic box and the Reds’ captain showed some composure to slip the ball into Buckley who blasted in the fifth and final goal of the night.

After such a frantic opening, the chances dried up as the two defences found some solidity though Lawless had a good shout for a penalty right on the stroke of half time as he appeared to be held down as he tried to jump for a header.

Less than two minutes after the re-start a gilt edged opportunity to increase Athletic’s lead wasn’t taken when a free header from a corner rose over the crossbar but after that it was AFC Liverpool who had the better of the game and seemed the most likely to score. The home side survived an almighty scramble, during which Buckley, Lawless, Barry and Jack Sinnott  all had shots blocked and then Anthony Brown connected with a Humphries delivery only to see his header drop the wrong side of the post. Barry’s overhead kick was straight at the keeper and Corris saw a couple of drives flash just inches wide while shots from twenty yards from Buckley and Lawless were just off target as AFC Liverpool were unable to find the killer touch to draw themselves level.

Ashton Athletic 3-2 AFC Liverpool
Allen 2′, 15′                             Lawless 19′
Cunningham 10′                   Buckley 22′

Attendance: 92

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.

It was in contrast to the first half where the home side bossed proceedings and had a deserved lead at the break. Lawless, scoring his second goal for the Reds in his fifth game, got his side off the mark after just eight minutes. Collecting a Darren Torpey throw in just inside the box, a sharp turn took him away from Martin Parkes and gave him the time and space to plant the ball into the far corner beyond the reach of Joshua Boothman.

Lawless came close to doubling his tally barely a minute later. Collecting another Torpey throw in on the edge of the area, he was allowed to turn too easily but this time his sidefooted effort was a yard wide of the upright. The Reds’ midfielder was at the heart of AFC Liverpool’s play and his driving run brought a free kick that Stephen Jones drove a couple of yards over the bar. A Lawless cross presented James Buckley with a chance to volley but fortunately for the visitors, John Blackley was in the way and from the resulting corner, Buckley fired in a shot that flashed across the goal.

Padiham’s only two chances of the half came about from AFC Liverpool switching off and the first should have been converted. Martin Broderick returned the ball into the box as the Reds’ defence rushed out but Parkes was deemed to be onside and his cushioned header teed it up perfectly for Samuel Heap but his volley from six yards rose over the bar. Shortly before the break Jamie Treanor latched onto a loose Steve Corris ball but his first time effort landed on top of the net with Leon Bimpson stranded.

Padhiam were livelier after the break but AFC Liverpool didn’t help their cause by conceding possession too easily and inviting pressure upon themselves. Egan had two efforts in quick succession, neither of which troubled Bimpson but the Reds’ keeper was grateful that Parkes’ header from six yards was straight at him. When Heap’s snapshot struck the foot of the post after he was inadvertently set up by Jack Sinnott, it seemed as though the Reds might keep all three points but with two minutes remaining Egan’s shot squeezed past Torpey and Bimpson before nestling in the corner.

With a downpour creating difficult playing conditions and Padiham having no ready made replacement for Boothman after he was forced off just before the break through injury, it was disappointing that Jones’ shot right at the death was the only one that Stuart Telfer had to deal with as the Reds let slip the chance to climb past Stone Dominoes.
AFC Liverpool 1-1 Padiham
Lawless 8′                         Egan 88′

Attendance: 115

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams.