BORO CUP OUT AT BURSCOUGH

BURSCOUGH 3 RADCLIFFE BOROUGH 0

WHEN a team is knocked out of a cup competition the phrase "Now we can concentrate on the league" is often trotted out.

Such sentiments will be genuine at Stainton Park following Radcliffe Borough's final group match at Victoria Park on Tuesday night.

A 3-0 scoreline suggests a drubbing, but Boro played some fine football without any luck and Burscough were greatly flattered by their margin of victory.

Boro set off at full pace and forced four corners in the first three minutes. They hit the Burscough bar twice through Lee Kissock and Simon Kelly before the game developed into an end-to-end affair.

Boro keeper Danny Hurst had to be alert to deny Lee Furlong and then Lee McEvilly miscued when well-placed. Ian Lunt had an early shooting chance, but elected to pass and it was the home team who opened the scoring after 12 minutes.

A neat through ball found Furlong, who rounded the advancing Hurst before finishing easily.

Burscough's highly-rated striker McEvilly was proving a handful, but the Burscough defence stuck to their task and Hurst produced a couple of fine stops.

At the other end, Kissock was through on goal, but home keeper Taylor was out quickly, leaving Kissock vainly appealing for a penalty.

A Tony Whealing free-kick on the half hour produced a fine, full-length save from Taylor, whilst Simon Kelly was quick to cover at the other end after McEvilly had rounded Hurst.

Burscough increased their lead 10 minutes after the break with a controversial goal from Furlong.

The striker looked well offside when he was played through, but the flag stayed down and he rifled his shot past Hurst.

With Mark Dempsey and Scott Wilson controlling midfield and Richard Battersby constantly raiding down the flank, Boro were always in the game, but the final ball invariably let them down.

Battersby, in particular, caused Burscough problems and Kissock should have done better from one cross, but fired over from 10 yards out.

Jody Banim replaced Ian Lunt in the 72nd minute and immediately forced a fine save from Taylor and Eamon Kelly, a late substitute for Eamon Elliott, hit a post.

The match was given a misleading scoreline in the final minute when a ball over the top found Furlong who strode on to fire past Hurst and complete his hat-trick.

Despite the scoreline, Boro contributed to an entertaining match with some attractive football, but must now be satisfied with concentrating on the league.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH: Hurst 7, Battersby 8, Whealing 7, G Wilson 7, S Kelly 7, Dempsey 7, Lunt 6, S Wilson 7, Kissock 6, Elliott 7, Price 7. Substitutes: Banim (for Lunt, 72mins), E Kelly (for Elliott, 80mins). Not used: Landon.