BURSCOUGH achieved a fifth Blue Square North away win of the season in comprehensive fashion at Marston Road, a win that could prove to be crucial in their fight to stay in the division.

The way the other results went, Burscough would have been left facing a fair deficit on rival teams, making the victory doubly important to Andy Mutch’s improving young team.

The Linnets had grabbed the first ever league meeting between the teams by the scruff of the neck from the off.

Their due reward arrived in the 14th minute. Clancy gathered the ball around 25 yards out and moved into the penalty area before Stafford midfielder Steve Brannan put in a tackle from behind that maybe would have been allowed 20 years ago, – but not now.

Clancy went down and referee Nick Hobbis pointed to the penalty spot. After plenty of complaints from Stafford that resulted in a yellow card being brandished, Brian Moogan waited patiently before sending Sandercombe the wrong way.

On the hour Burscough could have doubled their lead when a Ged Brannan free-kick was deflected and all Sandercombe could do was parry it away.

Three minutes later Jordan Stepien had a chance, breaking clear down the left with Sandercombe off his line but Stepien elected to use his right foot to lift the ball and he sent it wide.

But Burscough doubled the lead when Wade made an ambitious run down the right, cutting inside before squaring the ball to Stepien.

The former Bury striker saw his effort saved by Sandercombe but the ball ran to Heler, who turned a full 360 degrees with the ball then drilled it low into the net.

Briefly Stafford rallied with Dickinson pulling off a fine save, this time from McNiven.