Moogan special helps bank valuable points - Burscough FC

Apr 16 2009 by Our Correspondent, Ormskirk Advertiser

Burscough 2 - Workington1

BURSCOUGH’S hopes of retaining membership of the Blue Square League go on, thanks to a hard fought victory at home to Workington.

Two goals in eight first half minutes were enough to give the Linnets three potentially valuable points, which may prove vital, even if they finish in the bottom three-relegation zone.

The game was close but fairly unexciting in the first 10 minutes, with just a couple a wayward shots from both teams to entertain Easter Monday’s bank holiday crowd.

Craig Davies had Burscough’s best early opportunity but his shot went past keeper Adam Collin’s far post.

In the 21st minute it was Workington’s turn to threaten as Burscough keeper Kyle Clancy did well to block Jonny Wright’s thumping header.

Two minutes later, a fluent build-up by Burscough saw the opening goal.

A move involving more than 10 passes put the ball to Davies wide on the left. After switching the ball onto his right foot, Davies lifted a centre to the far post, Josh Hine ran in at pace and his header gave Collin no chance.

Just after the half-hour, Burscough doubled their lead.

Hine was the victim of a clumsy foul by Andy Langford, the award giving Brian Moogan just the opportunity he relishes.

Getting plenty of whip on the ball, Moogan sent it around the Workington defensive wall and into the net leaving Collin a spectator.

Workington cut the Linnets’ lead in half three minutes before the interval.

A Jonny Wright cross was headed out of the danger zone to Andy Hardman.

The Workington player pounced and hit a strong right-foot shot from 25 yards that looked well covered by Clancy. However, it took a wicked bounce over the diving keeper and into the net.

The second-half didn’t have the tempo to it that the first did. But the result was in doubt to the end.

Burscough had the first two viable efforts of the half. Ryan Wade failing to supply a finishing touch to a clever cross from Ashton Bayliss, and then Matt Parry put a rising shot that was just too high after he made a storming run through the Workington midfield.

The visitors responded by hitting the Burscough woodwork when a Gareth Arnison’s cross dropped onto the top of Clancy’s goal, before being hacked to safety by Tony Evans.

An Anthony Wright effort and Tony Hopper volley late on nearly earned Workington a point but Burscough stood strong in the final stages to record the key victory.

Burscough deserved their three points – they always had Workington struggling to cope with their pace and they limited their opponents to just shots from distance when having to defend their lead.

Results elsewhere didn’t go Burscough’s way, but they still have a real chance of survival, due to the rumoured demise of some teams higher up the Blue Square table.

So, it is important that they accumulate as many points as possible, even if a relegation position seems likely.

BURSCOUGH: Clancy, Bayliss (Roberts, 85), Shearwood, Moogan , Stanford, Evans, Parry, Lloyd (Goulding, 45), Davies (Yates, 78), Wade, Hine. Subs (not used) Holland, Dacey.

WORKINGTON: Collin, McLuckie, Wright A., May (Edmondson, 70), Langford, Robinson, Arnison, Hopper, Wright J., Cook (Rutledge, 70), Hardman. Sub (not used) Main.