BURSCOUGH manager Liam Watson confidently said last week that his Linnets would be too slick for a six foot-plus Pilgrims defence in their Blue Square North clash.

A prophetic comment indeed, as thanks to a superb display of passing and running off the ball, the Linnets at times swarmed all over a ponderous home defence, who were lucky to be only a goal down.

Burscough took the lead in the ninth minute when Robbie Booth played the ball wide to Matt Parry, who returned it with interest to the far post, from where Booth guided it under home keeper Simon Rayner from six yards out.

As the half continued, Burscough’s Craig Noone and Parry were a source of problems for Boston who, but for keeper Rayner, would have been well out of the game.

In the latter stages Boston did manage to put some pressure on Burscough, only to find the Linnets young keeper Zak Hibbert equal to anything.

After the game Watson said: “We had work rate in abundance, we had a plan and we stuck to it.”

BOSTON UNITED: Rayner, Matthews, Bloomer, Ellender, Crane (Bailey, 80), Talbot, Nicholls (Stevenson 58), Gaughran (Leabon 58), Froggatt, Green, Rowan Subs not used: Weaver, Thompson

BURSCOUGH: Hibbert, Flynn, McGinn (Clancy, 68), Davis, Kilbane, B Moogan (Price 72), Parry (Tomlinson 72), A Moogan, Booth, Kilheeney, Noone Subs not used: McCulloch, Smart .REFEREE: Matt Foley (Sheffield) ATTENDANCE: 1204