Linnets hit bump in promotion chase



Burscough 2 Blyth Spartans 2

THE record books will say that this was two points dropped by Burscough in their hunt to secure a play-off place in the Blue Square North, but it might well be a point saved, writes Neil Leatherbarrow.

Blyth had remarkably only once been beaten at Victoria Park and had won on five of their last seven visits. The away team led 2-1 late into the game and were seemingly holding the Linnets at bay, and looked well on course for another three points. Then with only eight minutes left, Brian Moogan latched onto a poor clearance from a Matt McGinn corner and after side-stepping a challenge blasted the ball into the Blyth goal. His shot left the Tynesider's England non-league international goalkeeper grasping at fresh-air.

This season, Blyth are struggling to stay above the relegation zone, so when Ciaran Kilheeney hit the Blyth post inside 100 seconds after a clever twist in the penalty area, Burscough looked to have the measure of their opponents.

Adam Flynn soon got forward but shot wide of the target, then after eight minutes Burscough struck. A good movement on the right saw the ball delivered to Kilheeney, who ran straight at the heart of the Blyth defence. He held off one challenge, and then stormed past another, before placing the ball wide of advancing Blyth keeper, Adam Bartlett and into the net.

Blyth were clearly determined not to fall down and let Burscough dominate, with a strong wind at their backs they set about Burscough and their long ball game was causing problems for the Linnet's defence. That they didn't equalise in the 16th minute was quite unbelievable. A poor back header found Andy Johnson on a poaching mission beyond the Linnet's backline. Johnson steered the ball past keeper Tony McMillan, and he was two yards out and about to pull the trigger when Flynn stole the ball from the end of his toe. Flynn then controlled the ball and moved it away from the immediate danger zone. The tackle fully deserved the round of applause Flynn received from the crowd.

The Spartans fought on. McMillan did well to palm an Alex Gildea shot away in the 26th minute, then a minute later McGinn booted the ball off the line as Martin Houlahan attempted to back-heel the ball home.

The play was not entirely one way at this stage and Kilheeney put a 29th minute effort just wide of Bartlett's far post after good work by Brian Moogan.

The second-half began with Burscough on the attack. In the 47th minute Allan Smart held the ball up then laid it back to Craig Noone, who lifted the ball over Bartlett only to see it land on the roof of the net. Two minutes later, Noone himself set up Brian Moogan, whose powerful effort was fisted away by Bartlett.

Just as Burscough looked to be establishing a tempo, Blyth equalised. Bartlett kicked the ball long down the field in the 52nd minute and Houlahan was too strong for Neil Fitzhenry. The bounce of the ball sat up nicely for a strike, and Houlahan's half volley left McMillan with no chance.

Things almost instantly got worse for Burscough. In the 56th minute, Gildea hoisted a cross from the right to the far post, and the big striker Robert Dale, who was allowed space, from a few yards out comfortably headed home.

From that moment on Burscough were in trouble, Blyth are a strong team and they fell back in numbers, smothering Burscough and at times looking impregnable. Burscough in the conditions were finding it difficult to build any kind of sustained pressure.

In the 59th minute Noone shot past the far post, Robbie Booth shot over the bar in the 73rd minute and Smart was fractions off a telling touch to a long ball from Farrell Kilbane, but they were all at best half-chances.

Just as all appeared lost a bit of Moogan magic came to the rescue in the 82nd minute.

As injury-time beckoned Burscough almost snatched maximum points. Smart flicked the ball into Kilheeney's path and from about ten yards he hit a thunderous effort, but Bartlett somehow diverted the ball away from his goal.

Although in added time Blyth were reduced to ten men when Gary Brown was shown a second yellow card, it was too late to matter much to the result. Blyth would have gone home feeling very sorry for themselves if they had not held on in the latter stages, they justified a reward for their contribution. Burscough perhaps when taking into account Blyth's record at Victoria Park and the weather conditions on the day, should look upon it as a point gained.

Burscough: McMillan, Moogan B., McGinn, Fitzhenry, Kilbane, Flynn, Price (Smart, 45), Moogan A., Booth, Kilheeney, Noone (Tomlinson, 72) Subs (not used) Clancy, Davis, McCulloch

Blyth Spartans: Bartlett, Christenson, Hedley, Leeson, Williams (c), Brown, Webster, McCabe (Snowden, 81), Houlahan, Johnson (Dale, 45), Gildea A. (Boyle, 74), Subs (not used) Stephenson, Fenton

Referee: J. R. Tyas (Holmfirth)

Attendance: 392

Burscough's Blue Square North game against Leigh RMI at Hilton Park on Monday afternoon was postponed because of the condition of the pitch. A date for the rescheduled game has yet to be fixed.





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