Surprise defeat for Burscough

Nov 26 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

THERE will be no mass FA Trophy celebration at Victoria Park next year as Burscough bowed out on Saturday.

FA Trophy time will always bring back memories of 2003 in the village of Burscough, but unfortunately memories is how they will remain after Saturday’s surprise defeat.

Things looked good for Burscough in the early stages, a shaky Leigh defence looked ripe for the taking.

Leigh number seven Steve Settle carried the ball from midfield and powered home an 11th-minute shot, changing the whole tempo of the game.

Burscough now had to watch out for a counterattack, while searching for an equaliser.

The equaliser arrived in the 26th minute, followed two minutes later by a second goal that gave Burscough the lead. First Ciaran Kilheeney shot home from 18 yards after Chris Price set him up, then James Dunn turned his marker and hit an unstoppable left-foot shot.

Leigh were not down and out, Leon Osborne crossed to the far post in the 37th minute, Settle stole in and fired home.

Leigh took the lead in the 55th minute, Owen Roberts creating the space for Andy Heald to blast home from close range to win the game.

BURSCOUGH: McMillan, Moogan B, Clancy, Flynn, Kilbane, Roberts D (McIntosh,89), Parry (Smart 69), Price, Dunn, Kilheeney, McGinn Subs: Robinson C, Watson, Hibbert.