Final heartache but Linnets proud
BURSCOUGH came desperately close to pulling off a shock in the Macron Cup Final (North-West Counties League Cup Final) at Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night.
Dave Sutton’s team went into the match as massive underdogs, Burscough had finished 46 points behind their promoted opponents in the league table and many expected a walkover for Widnes.
The reality was nothing like that at all in a thrilling encounter that Burscough almost won.
The Linnets started to settle better from the fifth minute when Chad Whyte brought a save out of Widnes goalkeeper Richie Mottram, soon afterwards a late tackle by Michael Grogan brought about a free-kick that Jamie Clark put off target.
In the ninth minute Burscough won a corner on the right-hand side and Clark went over to apply his cultured left boot to the ball.
Clark swung the ball right under the Widnes crossbar and into the far corner of the net, no fluke about it though, he has scored four times this season in similar fashion.
In the 22nd minute Widnes levelled with what at that stage was a rare attack.
Chris Lomax sent a corner from the right into the heart of the Burscough area, the ball was headed back across the box and with a lightning reaction Hodkinson drove the ball home through a crowded goal-line to equalise.
Before the interval Widnes pushed on but Rex Kimona-Puissance saved the Linnets with a tremendous intercepting header to end one threatening attack.
If the second-half could match the first the crowd were in for a treat. It bettered it. After just 12 seconds Whyte went on the attack and his shot went just over the crossbar.
In the 50th minute Burscough goalkeeper Josh Samberg was left owing defender Alex Parkes a favour after he rescued him.
A clearance went straight to Hodkinson, who set off at pace, Parkes putting enough pressure on to allow Samberg to save.
Danny Brady comfortably dealt with a Mike Burke header on the Burscough line, while all the time Terry Cummings and Prince Ekpolo were making the Widnes backline look very exposed.
What was to prove the Widnes winner came in the 77th minute and it came completely out of the blue.
Sam Sheen sent a cross into the Burscough goalmouth from the right, it was a poor one and no one connected with the ball at all, however it found its way into the far side of the goal creeping just inside the post.
Within two minutes Burscough were unlucky not to equalise, Josh Dunroe hit a shot from 20 yards that hit the foot of the post with keeper Mottram not in sight, the rebound fell to Peter Henerty but this time Mottram made a miraculous point blank save to frustrate Burscough.
Just as five minutes added time was announced 19-year-old Burscough captain Brady went on a surging run, his shot on goal was going in until Mottram pulled off another “worldy” diving save.
Again on 93 minutes Dunroe almost saved Burscough but again Mottram saved Widnes.
There was not much at all between the teams, Widnes possibly edging home because of the experience in their team, they had some luck with the winning goal and some more with the magnificent performance of their goalkeeper.
Burscough deserve praise for what they did on the night, no one really gave them a chance, but they came very close to winning.
Bitter because they lost, but they will look back in a day or two and say ‘we really played well and left nothing at all in the dressing-room’.
It was a memorable night for a young team that if they stay together are just going to get better and better.
Manager Dave Sutton said after the match: “They (Widnes) are a good side and we almost did them.
“It would have been nice to have brought the trophy home to Burscough, but we have proved that we are a top team. I am really looking forward to next season.”