BURSCOUGH 5 FC ISLE OF MAN 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Four goals in the last quarter hour saw Burscough maintain their position among the play-off candidates in the North West Counties League Premier Division, the Linnets had most of the possession in the game against the strugglers from the middle of the Irish Sea including having a goal disallowed before taking the lead early in the second-half and finally securing the three points with a barn storming finish.
In his post match interview on BFC TV on You Tube manager David Dempsey said:”That’s the best we’ve been at this season, we dominated, it was very very positive, the lads have done well, good performance, they were good going forward but our defence was on top.”
Isle of Man had gone close with a header early on, but that was to be their best chance.
By the interval Burscough had had a goal by Christian Mukoko disallowed for offside and the Manx goalkeeper Ben Wilkinson who was making his 50th North West Counties appearance had made some excellent saves including one with his legs from new signing Josh Quarless.
Two minutes into the second-half Wilkinson saved again from Quarless, soon afterwards Sam Baines threatened for the visitors, a goal was becoming due.
The goal arrived just before the hour and it was young star Mukoko who found the net for the second time, this time it counted. Athletically he found space at the near post and the ball was in the net.
With fifteen minutes to go Burscough got the buffer that a second brings, Quarless who is at least six foot four helped on a long throw and after a superb bit of ball control Matt Hamilton showed just why he is a known marksman.
If there was any doubt it was ended two minutes later when midfielder Will Lawson finished a fine set up by Callum Laird making it 3-0.
In the 80th minute a fourth, thus time Mukoko slid the ball through with the outside of his foot, Laird who was tearing the IOM defence to shreds got the goal his performance deserved.
Just before added time Burscough got a fifth goal and again it was Laird who was the instigator once more his ball across the face of goal provided Steve Rigby with what was a near tap-in.
The Isle of Man had been stubborn opponents and were dangerous on the counterattack, but Burscough had been patient and showed the value of having good players on the bench to freshen things up when required, they really do have a powerful squad.
David Dempsey went on in his interview to credit the size and strength of his squad saying after reelingoff a list of quality players who were either on the bench or unavailable:” The squad is a good size not too big, it enables me to rotate and will be used throughout the season. But the players today were outstanding.”
There is a good and possibly successful winter to look forward to at the Community Ground, they are without doubt one of the best teams in the NWCL Premier Division.
BURSCOUGH: Gospel-Eze, Cannon-Noren, Rigby, Devine, McCulloch, Bell, Hamilton, Cushion, Quarless, Lawson, Mukoko Subs Laird, Sheen, Duff, Palfrey, Bowyer
FC ISLE OF MAN: Wilkinson, Kerrush, Cain, Watson, Hudgeon, Williams, Whitley, Baines, Middleton, Pinnington, Higgins C. Subs Wosser, Booth, Adebiyi, Gelling, Watterson
REFEREE: Archie Banks
ATTENDANCE: 183
