Bootle FC vs Northwich Victoria - FA Cup

Northwich Victoria made their FA Cup ambitions clear inside quarter of an hour, striking early through a composed field goal in the 14th minute that ultimately proved the difference between two sides separated by far more than a single goal on the night. Bootle, playing in front of their home support and enjoying the better of the possession at 53%, created the more dangerous attacks on paper — racking up 47 to Northwich's 30 — but lacked the cutting edge to translate that pressure into genuine equalising opportunities. Six corners came and went without reward, and as the second half wore on without a single meaningful moment of note, Northwich's defensive discipline told its own story. For Bootle, it is an early cup exit that will sting given how much of the ball they held; for Northwich, a professional away performance that punches them into the next round and builds momentum at a promising stage of their campaign.