‘Superb’ Linnets edge away from drop zone
BURSCOUGH put daylight between themselves and relegation with a highly competent victory over mid-table Squires Gate at Victoria Park on Saturday.
The Linnets goals came at either end of the first-half playing into a strong wind before not quite putting the game away with a third after the break and only conceding in added time.
Burscough couldn’t have started the game much better than they did, 75 seconds had elapsed when a defence splitting pass by youngster James Salkeld put Chris Lomax clean in on goal one to one with away goalkeeper Jordan Gidley, Lomax sliding the ball neatly past the advancing Gidley and into the net behind him to make it 1-0 to Burscough.
With the wind behind them Squires Gate came forward in search of an equaliser, but Burscough looked a solid organised side as they fended off almost all the Blackpool based side could throw at them, while looking dangerous on the counterattack.
James Boyd looked the best player for Squires Gate and he put in a 12th minute shot from 18 yards that Linnets goalkeeper Davy Jones beat away to safety.
Just after the half-hour Boyd got in off the left-wing but his shot went wide of the far post. Then on 35 minutes Squires Gate were clean in on goal and the home supporters held their breath.
Five yards into the 18 yard box Dean Ing looked to pull the trigger, in came Burscough defender Mitch Kinsella with a tackle from the side that Bobby Moore would have been proud of, taking the ball straight off the end of Ing’s toe as a goal looked imminent, it was a game changing moment.
The game turned and gradually Burscough started to take control and got on to the front foot.
In the 41st minute came another game changing moment, Burscough scored a crucial second goal. The move started with a yellow card for Burscough captain Jack Fleming who complained that referee Matt McQuillian hadn’t made the defender trying to block a free-kick he was about to take get back ten yards from the ball.
It didn’t matter, Fleming swung in the kick and with a flicked header Kinsella sent it across the six yard box to the far post, in ran Kevin Pollard to crash the ball into the roof of the net from about a yard, it was 2-0 to Burscough at half-time.
Squires Gate began the second-half facing the wind and low sunshine, they were to finish it facing the wind and the full force of Storm Jorge.
Burscough were the better team for 40 of the next 45 minutes.
Conor Christiansen had an early shot from the left that just beat the far post as Burscough went after a third goal that would surely ensure victory, soon afterwards from a freekick from the right the ball fell to Luke Gibson but his shot was smothered by a dive to his left by Squires keeper Gidley.
Linnets forwards Dale Korie-Butler and Salkeld kept the visitors on the defensive for most of the half and when the visitors did break out they were getting no change out of a Burscough defence that was dominant.
As the clock ticked on Salkeld saw a shot saved by Gidley as did Gibson again.
It was only as full-time appeared on the scene that Squires Gate forced Burscough back and they won a penalty a minute into added time and it was Boyd who grabbed a goal from the spot that he personally deserved.
At full time the heavens opened just maybe in praise of Burscough who had thoroughly deserved the three points at stake.
Burscough are not safe from relegation yet, but it isn’t hanging over them like the scary sceptre it was six weeks ago and it could be said in bookmakers parlance they are now odds on to stay in the North West Counties Premier division for next season.
Jones, Presho, Fleming ©, Gibson, Kinsella, Pollard K., Christiansen, Pope, Korie-Butler (Douglas, 89), Salkeld (Wilson, 87), Lomax C. (Dixon, 72) Subs (not used) O’Brien, Rawsthorne
Gidley, Gourley (Dodd, 70), Higham, Staunton-Turner ©, Holden, Westwood, Pollard J. (Tanner, 56), Baldwin (Iley, 70), Ing, Boyd Subs (not used) Johansson, Garrett Matt McQuillian
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