Hucknall Town 5-2 Burscough

Jan 21 2010 by Our Correspondent, Ormskirk Advertiser

HANDICAPPED by enforced changes, then a disastrous start, Burscough still showed the resolve to fight back twice, before they finally succumbed at Watnall Road.

Burscough lost new signing Andy Barlow due to an overnight illness, then went behind inside the first 20 seconds, before having influential winger Matt Parry viciously scythed down then carried off on a stretcher in the fifth minute, all leaving manager Andy Gray thinking “what else could go wrong?”

Burscough actually kicked-off, but soon lost possession down the right, the ball was played to Daniel O’Donnell, who quickly released striker TJ Nightingale, one on one with Linnets keeper Kyle Clancy; Nightingale calmly stoked the ball across Clancy and into the bottom corner.

Only minutes later, Parry trapped the ball and was hit from the side by a flying Jay Smedley challenge that is best described as reckless.

As Parry writhed in agony on the floor Smedley was shown a yellow card, much to the chagrin of the Burscough players, before Parry exited on a stretcher.

Hucknall naturally looked to capitalise on the situation and Adrian Hawes headed over the bar off a looping free-kick in the eighth minute, as Burscough took time to regain their composure.

Generally speaking the first-half after its lively opening was not a classic, Burscough were working hard, denying Hucknall room to build on their lead, while Burscough were trying to pick the hosts off with counterattacking movements.

The nearest to a Burscough goal during this period, was an Adam Black header that was saved by home keeper Dan Haystead.

Lewis Field was playing a midfield role for the Linnets and had shown promise with a couple of good runs at the home defence, he proved to be the man that brought Burscough right back into the game as the interval beckoned. Darren Brookfield and Black were involved in a good build-up and the ball went to Darren Byers in the penalty area, Byers laid the ball off and Field swept in and directed the ball low into the far corner for Burscough’s 42nd minute equaliser.

It was nearly a lot better still for Burscough as only a last ditch tackle by Hawes, denied Black a gilt edged opportunity in the 45th minute.

The quick restarts from Hucknall were clearly no fluke, as they did the same again in the second-half.

This time Ashton Bayliss slid in on a Hucknall player on the right and he received a yellow card for his trouble. Hucknall’s Laurie Wilson curled in a free-kick that his better known father Danny would have been proud of, sending the ball to the far post where Hawes thundered a header past a helpless Clancy and only about a minute gone.

Burscough took a lot less time to recover this time and were level within five minutes.

Youngster Dave Wilson was the creator, ambitiously carrying the ball into the heart of the Hucknall defence before poking it between two defenders and into Byers path, Haystead left his line but Byers pushed the ball into the net from about ten yards out.

Hucknall came back at Burscough and Anton Bonnick should have done better after Nightingale set him up, before Burscough were the creator of their own downfall in the 57th minute.

With the ball dropping out of the air Clancy left his line, but failed to get a clean punch on the ball, the Burscough defence then had chances to clear but failed themselves, the ball spun to Bonnick, who this time made no mistake, side-footing the ball home.

Any hopes of a third Linnets comeback were dashed inside four minutes. Bonnick got away down the right and squared a quality ball across the penalty area, substitute Rueben Wiggins-Thomas sprinted in and launched the ball into the roof of Burscough’s net.

It was effectively game up for Burscough and their heads went down.

Andy Gray made changes and probably the most effective was the introduction of Gary McEvatt, in one great move in the 74th minute he beat two men down the left before putting the ball temptingly across the face of goal, but no one could get a finishing touch, then in the latter stages he cleverly put Dave Roberts through, but the Burscough captain could only find the side-netting.

In the 92nd minute, Hucknall rubbed salt into the Linnets wounds with a fifth goal. Wilson and Wiggins-Thomas combining to present Nightingale with a golden chance he did not waste.

Burscough looked like they needed the game more than Hucknall did and the lay-off clearly played some part in Burscough’s downfall.

The loss of Parry hit them hard and the extent of his injury is unknown at the time of writing this report. Ultimately though, the changes forced on the Burscough squad because of finance were probably the main factor in this defeat, Andy Gray is having to assemble a virtually new team in mid-season, only four of his starting line-up were in the team on the first day of the season and not one of his defenders. A little patience is needed while he sorts out the situation.

l HUCKNALL TOWN: Haystead, Stevenson, Smedley, Meikle, Shiels, Hawes, Walters (Boafo, 65), Wilson (c), Nightingale, Bonnick (Morley R., 79), O’Donnell (Wiggins-Thomas, 52) Subs (not used) Kelly, McCormick

l BURSCOUGH: Clancy, Taylor A., Standley, Field, Bayliss, Grisdale (Morley D., 82), Parry (Wilson, 5), Roberts (c), Byers, Black (McEvatt, 54), Brookfield Subs (not used) Asgari, Bathurst

l Referee: Robbie Earl (Leicester)

l Attendance: 171