CHRIS Sheppard scored at both ends as Blues bounced back from two goals down to earn a draw.

They are now favourites to progress ahead of the return match at Barton Stadium on Saturday but not before Bootle gave them a mighty fright.

Winsford relied on resilience in below par performance.

They started at breakneck speed and John Bluck's second minute cross was taken off the toe of Lee Madin just as he looked certain to score.

The resulting corner saw Danny Webster's header cleared off the line by an anxious defence.

But Bootle showed they could play some elegant one-touch football as they began to put pressure on Blues back four and burly striker Dan O'Connor was unlucky to see his effort skim the crossbar.

Jamie Rainford was the next to go close for the hosts but his shot was wide of the post.

Charitable Winsford were giving away far too many free kicks and it was the result of one of these on the edge of the area that saw Bootle take the lead on 27 minutes.

Sheppard, attempting to hook the ball away, miskicked and it trickled into the corner of the net just out of reach of stricken keeper Michael Langley.

Eight minutes later Joe Gibiliru's men had a lucky escape when O'Connor lobbed the ball over Langley into the net only to find the feferee had blown for a foul instead.

They added a second against improving Winsford on 70 minutes.

John Doran's high ball into the box looked as if it was going to be an easy collect for Langley before a gust of wind took it away from him and Paul Hopkins headed into the empty net.

Blues were back in the game three minutes later.

Bluck went past three defenders before the ball was handled on the edge of the box and Dean Ennion drove the ball through the wall and into the bottom corner with the help of a deflection.

They snatched a leveller in stoppage time.

Ennion squeezed past two defenders on the right and his cross was blasted against the bar by Bluck before Sheppard volleyed hom the rebound after two desperate attempts to clear.


Star Man: John Bluck
Blues: Langley (GK), Calland, Duckworth, Owens, Webster, Bluck, Sheppard, Ennion, Madin, Miranda, Kennedy (Connell 83)
Subs not used: Thompson, Dears, Roberts
Attendance: 58