STEVE Wilkes, Northwich Victoria’s manager, has described his side’s defeat against Bootle as a ‘missed opportunity’.

Vics went down 3-2 when the teams met in a North West Counties League fixture at Wincham Park on Saturday, when they conceded three goals inside the opening quarter-hour.

“It’s disappointing,” said Wilkes afterwards.

“We had a chance to go fourth in the table and we didn’t take it.”

Northwich recovered to give their guests a fright in atrocious conditions after Joel Brownhill and substitute Jordan Darr both scored after the interval.

The latter also missed a chance to level with header during the closing stages.

Wilkes added: “No team can gift to an opponent a three-goal head-start and expect to get something from the game.

“The players deserve credit though for digging deep in the second-half, and who knows what might have happened if Jordan had scored?

“It would have made it interesting.”

Vics occupy eighth place in the Premier Division ahead of a visit from Charnock Richard – opponents they beat in the return last month – on Saturday.

They then visit Irlam on Boxing Day, kick-off 3pm.