BOOTLE 4 DARWEN 2

DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes struggled to find a team for the trip to Bootle in NWCL Division Two.

The Anchor Ground side are ravaged by injuries; Wilkes had to put himself and the team physio on the bench and play two midfielders as centre halves.

Wilkes said: "Scott Derbyshire and Phil Rose had to play in defence. It is not easy for players who are not natural centre halves to play in that position and, excellent players that Phil and Scott are, they are not centre halves."

But Darwen took the lead on 20 minutes through Denny Khan from a corner from Mark Isherwood.

Goalkeeper Lee Purvis made some excellent saves to keep Bootle's Andy Olsen at bay in the first half but two minutes into the second Paul Ryder scored the first of a hat-trick with a lob over Purvis who was caught in two minds as to whether to come out or stay on his line.

Ten minutes later Stephen Hughes got a second for Bootle but Phil Rose pulled Darwen level, latching on to a header from Paul Baker.

Ryder got his second and then a third 15 minutes from time to wrap it up for the home side.