AN injury-ravaged Burscough side brought three Blue Square Premier points back from Nottinghamshire on Saturday, thanks to quality goals from Matt Parry and new signing Brian Moogan.

Honours were even at the interval – the struggling hosts appearing to lack confidence while Burscough were having trouble getting their game together.

Ben Saunders of Hucknall and Kevin Leadbetter of Burscough looked the most likely to break the deadlock, in a first half.

Six minutes into the second half the game was lit up by a superbly judged strike at goal. Matt Parry received the ball in space, and after looking up with nowhere to go, he curled a right-footed 25-yard shot into the top corner.

In the 72nd minute it was game set and match, Parry’s goal was all finesse and skill, the Linnets second was all about power. Brian Moogan bursting through a challenge in the middle then hitting a blockbuster from 30 yards inside the Hucknall upright.

One scramble caused by a dipping Ben Saunders header apart, Burscough did look likely to concede goal, never mind the two needed to deny them the points.

They will need to play better if they are to maintain their promotion challenge, manager Liam Watson certainly thinks so.

He said: “We played much better last week at Telford and lost. I was far from pleased with the general performance today.”

BURSCOUGH: McMillan, Moogan B, Clancy, Flynn, Kilbane, Roberts (N Robinson 51), Booth, Price, Leadbetter (McGinn), Kilheeney (Smart), Parry Subs: Hibbert, Watson.