Burscough are doing it when it really matters
THERE’S a well-known fotball theory that it is crucial that you beat the teams around you in the league table.
Over the last six weeks or so Burscough have done precisely that, as a result they have moved from bottom place in the North West Counties Premier Division table to out of the relegation zone and fifth from bottom.
Saturday’s game at home to second bottom Darwen was always going to be a tough one, especially with what was at stake, but after taking the lead a few minutes before half-time Burscough braved the winds and the rain’s to arguably be good value for their victory.
It could have been different for the Linnets though, as twice in the opening 12 minutes Darwen could or should have taken the lead as Burscough took time to get going.
First Kiel Lonsdale headed wide from a Callum Hoctor cross then as the home support drew breath, Alex Ralph headed wide from an even easier opportunity this time off a Luke Cassidy cross.
With the wind at their backs Burscough started to do better and on 19 minutes a Jamie Clark cross from the left wing beat everybody in a busy penalty area and clipped the far post.
Then on 21 minutes Stephen Rothwell beat the Darwen offside trap but was kept at bay by a fine diving save from the visitors’ former Skelmersdale goalkeeper Steve James.
Burscough were the better team during this period of the game although lacking the drive that the suspended Terry Cummings brings to the team.
But in the 37th minute Burscough scored and it was very much down to an intelligent bit of play by centre-forward Chad Whyte.
The number nine took possession about five yards outside the 18 yard box and held the ball up.
Fellow forward Rothwell had run past him and was clearly offside, so he held the ball some more, then midfielder Josh Dunroe made a run and Whyte played the ball into his path.
Faced with keeper James, Dunroe did well to keep his cool and slot the ball past him into the net.
Darwen bounced back and from a tight angle Jamie Edwards had a shot saved by Burscough goalkeeper Carl Williams.
Whyte almost made it 2-0 seconds before the interval but the one goal lead gave Burscough something to hold onto.
Burscough started the second half a lot better than they had started the first.
Matt Ward put Whyte in but James saved, then a shot from Rothwell suffered the same fate.
Around the hour mark Clark’s freekick hit the defensive wall then, diving full length, James rescued Darwen again by turning away a Ben Maddocks shot.
The game became a tight battle as Darwen struggled to get going and Burscough, now playing into the weather, determinedly made sure they didn’t.
Burscough probably should have had at least a two-goal cushion to sit on and their failure to get a second goal almost came back to bite them as Darwen pressed strongly late on.
With six minutes to go keeper Williams made a pair of quality saves to keep out Darwen substitutes Karl Turner and Jordan Scott, although Whyte had one more chance for Burscough in between Darwen created anxiety among the home support and still had one final drama up their sleeve.
Deep into added time the visitors won a string of corners and from the last, almost five minutes into the extra period, the ball almost seemed to hit Cassidy on the head at the far post and thump the outside of the post.
There wasn’t a Burscough supporter who wasn’t glad to hear the final whistle seconds later.