Chances are fine but we need goals

NICK Matthews admits Burscough must start taking their chances if they are to avoid relegation from the NWCFL Premier Division this season.

Linnets were edged out 1-0 at Padiham on Saturday and have now lost 12 of their opening 17 league matches.

Matthews was forced into an almost complete rebuild of the playing squad at Burscough after taking charge during the summer and added former Marine and Widnes midfielder Connor Ready to the ranks ahead of the loss at Arbories Memorial Ground.

Luke Noble’s strike early in the second-half, however, was enough to decide the clash in Padiham’s favour despite a late onslaught from the visiting side.

“I thought we played well in the first-half,” Matthews said afterwards. “We created some half-decent chances and controlled the game. We started the second-half very well and should have scored.

“From the 60th-minute onwards Padiham took back control and scored with their first real chance, from then on our back four looked shaky and Padiham could have scored again on the counter-attack.

“The lads were disappointed at the end as they thought we had done enough to get the three points but other results also went against us. We need to start turning chances created into goals.

“I thought Padiham’s defence played well, they put their bodies on the line and the defence alone deserved the clean sheet.”

Bottom-club Litherland REMYCA - who occupy the sole relegation spot in the Premier Division - are now one point behind Burscough with two games in hand.

Linnets travel to Barnoldswick Town on Saturday while Phil Stafford’s REMY are in Macron Cup action against NWCFL First Division South high-fliers Vauxhall Motors.