SILSDEN AFC 0 BURSCOUGH 3
Burscough made the trip over to Yorkshire for this Macron Cup First Round tie with hope after Saturday’s good showing against Runcorn Linnets, however although Silsden are in the division immediately below Burscough they have won all of their opening twelve league games and are running away at the top of the table, so they faced a difficult game.
A superb second-half hat-trick from young centre-forward Liam Diggle not only maintained The Linnets run of winning all their first games in all the cup competitions they have entered this season, it will send them on their way up to Tyneside on Saturday for their First Round Buildbase FA Vase contest with Dunston UTS on a definite high.
Burscough started the first-half well and soon made it clear that Silsden were not in for an easy night, Jamie Clark putting a shot over the home crossbar to emphasise the point.
Silsden got going and Burscough goalkeeper Josh Samberg saved from Mark Everingham followed soon afterwards by a Josh Eastwood shot that was off target.
It was an entertaining encounter and both goalkeepers made good saves before the end of the half. Silsden’s Sam Lee thwarting Adam Gilchrist and Samberg making a magnificent save from a Sam Chapman shot that was going right into the top corner.
Less than a minute into the second period Burscough broke and home goalkeeper Lee did well to parry the initial shot at goal, but Diggle sharply followed up and converted the rebound from the edge of the six yard box.
Silsden went onto the attack but Burscough held them and looked dangerous on the counterattack, with Diggle causing them all kinds of problems.
Burscough got their second goal on 76 minutes. Another attack from Silsden was broken up and The Linnets made a swift counter, the ball was slipped through the home defence, Diggle powerfully surged after it and confidently finished.
Silsden continued to press, but when they did get through they either missed or the move floundered when keeper Samberg came into play.
The third goal came two minutes from time and it was similar to the second, again Burscough quickly turned defence into attack and Peter Smith played a wonderful ball to Diggle’s feet, after riding one challenge he hit a blistering effort to confirm a Burscough victory.
Burscough will travel to Squires Gate in the next round on 21st November. But for now they have a more pressing encounter in a Gateshead suburb against another team who will start strong favourites. That won’t worry Burscough whose manager Dave Sutton said: “We have nothing to lose and we are looking forward to it, we will have four players to come back into the squad from absences and after tonight, we will go up there in good form.”
A coach is running to Dunston UTS, it leaves at 9/30 and the cost is £10, the rest of the details and to book please contact stephen.halliwell966@btinternet.com