Double injury sees Linnets off balance

BY NEIL LEATHERBARROW

BURSCOUGH’S trip over to the Lancashire/Yorkshire border on Saturday didn’t go to plan as they lost out to two goals in two minutes just after half-time.

The Linnets’ highly placed opposition entered the game having won their last three games and proved the tough obstacle they threatened to be on paper.

Both teams struggled to get any passing rhythm going in the early stages and Burscough first went close after ten minutes but home goalkeeper Ryan Livesey ended their hopes after a scramble in the home goalmouth.

On 24 minutes Burscough worried the hosts again, this time Livesey came to the rescue, blocking a shot from Chad Whyte.

Burscough were hit with a double injury blow on 33 and 36 minutes, Jordan Casey went off with a head injury and was replaced by Terry Cummings in the former incident, Peter Henerty having to make way for Don Eumessi in the latter.

Barnoldswick missed a good chance in the 37th minute when Shaun Airey headed wide at the far post when he was allowed too much space.

When the whistle went for halftime it would give Burscough chance to settle down their enforced changes, but the blank scoreline was probably a fair summing up of things.

Straight after the break Burscough almost went in front but keeper Livesey frustrated them again with an excellent save.

On 48 minutes Burscough’s old Achilles Heel came back to haunt them, they conceded from a dead ball, Zack Dale swung in a corner and Marc Young headed home the opener.

When the hosts made it 2-0 a couple of minutes later it left Terry Green’s team a mountain to climb.

Dale made ground down Barnoldswick’s left wing and cut inside before launching a cracking shot into the top corner of the Linnets goal.

For a spell Barnoldswick pressured and it could easily have been 3-0, but Nathan Emery’s free-kick crashed into the Burscough defensive wall.

Dale was causing Burscough a hat full of problems and on 67 minutes he set up Jack Coop but his shot was finger-tipped wide by Linnets goalkeeper Max Povey.

With quarter of an hour to go the home team twice put shots wide.

As the last embers of the game flickered out Dale brought another good save out of Povey.

Burscough will have better days, the first-half injuries didn’t help them, but Barnoldswick are a team in their best form at present and Burscough have a free week to lick their wounds and re-group, manager Terry Green having a clear week to organise them in training. BURSCOUGH: Povey, Grier, Clark, Brady ©, Gibson, Ekpolo, Casey, Henerty, Whyte, Palmer, Ward Subs Cummings, White, Green Eumessi, Canache