1874 NORTHWICH succumbed to a last-minute goal for the third time in four matches after Connor Millington secured maximum points for Bootle on Monday night.

The home team felt the full-back had handled while converting Liam Loughlin’s free-kick, but the match officials did not agree.

They had already attracted the ire of supporters inside St Luke’s Barton Stadium after rejecting Sam Hind’s appeal for a penalty early in the second-half.

A side managed by Paul Bowyer and Wayne Goodison hoped to put behind them the disappointment of losing late on at West Didsbury & Chorlton and Runcorn Town in their previous North West Counties League outings.

However the Bucks were brighter to start with, and Sam Freakes had to be alert to block Carl Peers’ strike.

Jake Parker’s volley was saved comfortably by goalkeeper Ryan Jones at the other end.

It was Bootle, seeking a first victory against 1874 in Winsford, that broke through four minutes before the break when Kevin Edgar turned before shooting underneath custodian Greg Hall.

An equaliser arrived for 1874 on 69 minutes when Hind met Matty Russell’s cross from the left with a header.

Loughlin failed to hit the target from distance as both teams strived to find a winner, which duly arrived for the visitors thanks to Millington’s contested intervention with time running out.

1874 | Hall (GK), Connor, Russell, Pritchard, Mitchell, Freakes, Hind, Matthew Woolley, McGowan, Parker, Kennerley (Riley 67) Subs not used Lever, Winthrop, Waite-Jackson, Jack Woolley Goal Hind 69 Booked Mitchell

Bootle | Jones (GK), Millington, Ordish, Murphy, Hoy, Peers, Milne, Loughlin, Edgar, Boden, Cox (Coughlin 74) Subs not used Torpey, Carroll, Grant Goals Edgar 41, Millington 90 Booked Cox, Boden

Referee Matthew Scholes

Attendance 160