Craig’s cruel blow for brave Burscough

BURSCOUGH’S task on Saturday was not an enviable one – they had to travel to the runaway North West Counties League leaders and achieve their first league win of the season.

Runcorn Town started the day on a maximum 18 points from the opening six games of the season.

However, by the end of the day Runcorn had had the shock of their lives, courtesy of a very determined Burscough side.

As expected, the hosts set off confidently and put the pressure on Dave Sutton’s Linnets from the off, but Burscough can be a resilient bunch on their day and they held on well for the first halfhour.

Runcorn finally found a chink in Burscough’s armour on 33 minutes. Mike Carberry did well down the left wing for Runcorn and his cross skimmed into the goalmouth. Simon Thelwell made himself space and clinically slid the ball home from close range.

Burscough bounced back only 11 minutes later.

Under pressure from the Burscough forwards, a ball down the pitch wasn’t dealt with by the Town defence and a poor clearance was pounced on by Adam Gilchrist, who levelled with a low shot that left home goalkeeper Andy Metcalfe floundering.

Gilchrist has been missing from the Burscough line-up for the whole of August because of injury and he showed just why his experience will make a difference to Burscough’s forward threat.

After 54 minutes Burscough really had something to hold on to.

A foul in the penalty area saw the referee point to the spot and up stepped Burscough’s Alex Parkes.

The former Oldham Athletic player put his kick just inside the upright to make it 2-1 to the Linnets.

With their 100 per cent record at stake, naturally Runcorn piled on the pressure, but again Burscough fended off their best efforts.

However, as the game entered the last quarter-hour Runcorn found a way through via a set piece.

Runcorn won a free-kick just outside the penalty area and club captain Thelwell stepped up and in his club’s hour of need, sent a swirling left-foot free-kick past goalkeeper Louis McCarthy.

You had to feel sorry for Burscough when just seven minutes from the end Runcorn went back into the lead.

Mark Reed sent in a cross from the right wing, and goal machine Craig Cairns latched onto it and dispatched a powerful shot at goal that was almost kept out by McCarthy.

There was simply no way back for Burscough.

It had been a brave effort that was cruelly thwarted.

But a repeat of this performance will surely see Burscough pick up some wins very soon.