On a cold and wet afternoon at the Delta Taxis Stadium top of the league and previously undefeated Merseyrail Bootle were left stunned by a determined Chorltonian Ladies side.

Heading into the game Bootle topped the NWWRFL having captured an impressive 40 points from 42 available racking up more than 72 goals in the process. However they were left frustrated in the opening stages of the game by a Chorlts side resolute out of possession.

It was 24 minutes before the games first chance as Aisha Yallop attempted a 40 yard lob, having spotted the Bootle keeper off her line, but the wind took hold off the effort.  At the other end Bootle responded with a series of corners with Sheree Thompson coming closest heading wide of the target at the far post.

The best move of the first half fell to Chorlts however as a good ball down the right from Shauna Edmondson found Ellie Caddick on the right and her superb cross was taken off the head of Yallop by an equally superb header from the Bootle central defender Rachel Atherton.

The half ended as the frustration levels threatened to boil over as Bootle’s Jess Hindley and Chorlt’s Debbie Price both saw yellow for an off the ball incident as the two teams went into the half all square.

The expected Bootle reaction to being held at home came in the early stages of the second half when on 53 minutes Thompson did well to hold off a challenge from Price before firing an effort just over. Chorlts countered with a chance of their own as a superb drive through midfield from Price picked out Caddick with a pass who hit her shot at keeper Shaunie Kennedy trying to catch her off her line.

It was a warning and the deadlock was broken just after the hour mark when a free kick from the impressive Elizabeth Livesey found its way into the penalty area, Price was quickest to react as she diverted the ball over the Bootle keeper, who did enough to deflect it away but only into the path of Edmondson who steered it home from close range.

Bootle responded and on 72 minutes, a superb through-ball from Bootle’s Tess Littler almost finds a way through but for a superb tackle from Amy Friel denied the home side a one-on-one situation. Bootle went close again with a long range effort curled over the bar and Kaisha Sohl saw a free kick headed just wide of the post.

Chorlts resolve continued to be tested as the referee awarded a staggering eight minutes additional time.  Chorlts continued to hold firm but were almost undone in the 96^th minute when a superb cross from Alice Whorton found the head of Thompson whose header thudded off the outside of the post only for the offside flag to go up.

Chorlts secured a vital three points to lift themselves to 8^th place with 10 of their 14 points (before their two point deduction) having been earned away from home.

Player of the Match: Elizabeth Livesey