Bootle manager Brian Richardson outlined the Bucks problems in recent weeks as they narrowly missed out on victory against Workington.
They had the difficult task of denting Warrington Rylands promotion push last weekend, but that increased as they conceded inside the opening minute against Dave McNabb’s side.
The scoreline made the game look close but Richardson admitted that Rylands’ three points was deserved despite the Bucks missing a penalty and enjoying a resurgence after Richard Smith’s red card.
As it is widely stated across the league, there aren’t any easy games in the Northern Premier League West and this was the case again as Bootle travelled to title-chasing Workington.
Steven Riggs own-goal gave the visitors the lead before David Symington levelled just three minutes later but Tom Peterson quickly regained their lead on the quarter of the hour mark.
Richardson’s side were within six minutes of an unlikely three points until Nic Evangelinos scored the equaliser but it was a welcome point after an unprecedented turn of events in the build-up saw Bootle name 13 players in the squad and have their kick-off delayed following problems getting to the match.
“Difficult conditions but the same for both teams, I think it’s fair to say that we probably defended in a poor way,” He told Off The Park.
“We started off badly with a goal that was a bit of a gift [for Rylands] and I think it’s an area we need to improve on a lot, we are giving early goals away and they’re not particularly great goals that are going in.
“I think you can hold your hands when someone gives a piece of skill or play that opens you and you think fair play but at this level a lot of the goals are quite basic and come from errors rather than good play. I think we’ve got to learn to combat that a bit better than we are at the minute.
“They got a man sent off at 4-1, we had a little bit of a rally like we tend to do, we got a goal back, missed a penalty, it could’ve been different but on the day I thought no complaints.
“When you’re going to give goals away you’ve got to expect to your backside to be slapped simple as. They’re a good side going forward, like every team when they go forward there are opportunities to counter but I just feel it was basic errors from our team.
“We’d of took it [a point] before we went. We had a catalogue of mishaps along the way including a late kick-off, a number of players unavailable – Ben was in California, James Cooper was in Italy to add to three or four injuries with our captain getting injured on Saturday.
“We’ve got along there with a squad of 14, one has been ill on the way up there, we came away quite pleased. Played in Storm Barra, the conditions were horrific and probably shouldn’t of been played but having got there we played it but I think it was a fair result.
“We were six minutes away from getting three points but can’t complain because the lads defended well and they got a few chances and took one, with gale force behind you [attacking] it’s pretty hard to keep it down to one.
“We were happy overall, be it more concerned with the health of some of the players when they finished – I’ve never seen players shaking like that. Probably come away with a point we didn’t expect.
“The pitch at Kendal is difficult to play, at home they’re difficult to play, I don’t think there’s any easy games at this level.”
