1874 NORTHWICH extended their lead at the top of the table with an emphatic 4-1 win over fellow promotion rivals Bootle, writes Matt Waters.

In what was expected to be an extremely close tie turned put to be another clinical performance from the greens. Second-half goals from Scott McGowan, Jake Parker and two for Taylor Kennerley sealed all three points for the greens on Merseyside.

The game started like most top-of-the-table clashes, edgy with not many chances for either side and the play becoming congested in the middle of the pitch.

The story of the first half saw 1874 having a bigger share of the possession but struggled to put in a cross of any real quality to trouble the Bootle defence.

Bootle’s Lee Hughes had a number of chances during the half but met his equal in Tony Aghayere who kept the scores at 0-0 going into the break.

After the half-time interval 1874 came out with the bit between their teeth and soon found themselves 1-0 in front after a superb ball from Matty Russell found an unmarked Scott McGowan, who finished calmly past Ryan Jones.

Within minutes 1874 doubled their advantage as the club's leading scorer this season Jake Parker added to his tally as he fired home from a tight angle past the outstretched arm of Jones.

Just after the hour mark it became three.

A scramble in the penalty area saw Taylor Kennerley put the ball past a flat-footed Jones to put the game firmly out of sight in another ruthless 1874 attacking performance.

Bootle did get a goal back, Cameron Dalton heading home past Aghayere do make it 3-1.

The goal from Bootle didn’t affect the rest of the game as 1874 only went on to make it 4-1 in a completely destructive second-half performance.

A superb cross-field ball from Matt Woolley found Kennerley who took it past Jones and walked the ball into an empty net to give 1874 all three points, bouncing back after a defeat against Longridge Town.