And so to Victoria Park in Burscough for an early kick off, 1.30pm, due to 'ongoing floodlight issues'. Burscough, 'The Linnets', take on FA Cup giantkillers Warrington Town, appropriately enough on 3rd Round day.
The first Burscough AFC was formed in 1880 but folded in 1900. It was
re-established as Burscough Rangers in 1905 and moved to Mart Lane in 1908,
before also folding in 1935. The present Burscough club was founded in 1946 and
worked its way up the Liverpool Leagues, Lancashire Combination and Cheshire
County League before becoming founder members and first champions of the North
West Counties Football League in 1982.
In 1998 they were promoted to the Northern Premier League, and in 2003 became
the smallest ever club to win the FA Trophy under the management of Sean Teale
- his reward was to be sacked 6 weeks later......
In 2007 the Linnets won the Northern Premier and spent two seasons in the
Conference North, their highest ever position. Thereafter two relegations and
an abortive half season ground share with Skelmersdale United brought them both
home and to their current status, Evo Stik Northern Premier Division 1 North.
Their
visitors from Cantilever Park, Warrington Town, began life in 1949 as Stockton
Heath Albion and were also founder members of the North West Counties in 1982.
'The Wire' or 'The Yellows' started in Division 3 and reached the NWC Premier
Division before being promoted to the Northern Premier League Division 1 in
2004 - spending one season in the Southern section, and the rest in the Northern.
However their biggest claim to fame was reaching the FA Cup First Round proper
this season for the first time ever - and then beating Exeter City 1-0 in front
of the BBC cameras. The Second Round saw a 2-0 defeat at Gateshead and league
form has been patchy ever since, as The Wire seek to emulate last season's play
off position.
It's a cold,
wet, murky morning as I set out past The Barmy Sarnie and into filthy driving
conditions on the M6 across Thelwall Viaduct - teeming rain, spray and mist
and, yes, imbeciles with no lights on.....
Ignoring the attractions of Haydock Park and Wigan Pier, I exit at Junction 27
and a sign 'We've Got It All In West Lancashire' - well definitely pouring rain
and surface water !! Taking in the striking Christ Church in Parbold, and the
villages of Newburgh (twinned with Newburgh, Indiana !) and historic Lathom
brings me to the outskirts of Burscough. There's The Blue Mallard at Burscough
Wharf then The Hop Vine in the town centre, before turning into Tesco for free
unlimited parking - there is no parking at the ground.
Victoria Park is flanked by housing on two sides, open ground on another and
Tesco and the Fitness and Racquets Centre on the final one, up Bobby Langton
Way with the Mart Lane entrance housing the main turnstile. Inside there's a
club shop, canteen/ snack bar and a solitary toilet...that doesn't lock...
On this side is the grandstand, whilst the Crabtree Lane end has a shelter and
opposite is a covered terrace. In the corner is a privately owned clubhouse,
'The Barons' and a dismantled floodlight - is this the 'ongoing issue' ? Around
the pitch are hoardings advertising companies offering tractors, sheds,
forklifts and....exotic mushrooms ! There's also a Victoria Park 100 Years of
Football 1908-2008 sign, but disappointingly the 'Burscough FC We Are L40'
banner is absent.
The Linnets
are in all green, whilst their keeper is in all yellow, forcing the Wire to
change to all blue. Warrington are encouraged by a vociferous away support,
including a drummer, and treat us to the delights of 'You're just a bus stop in
Ormskirk' and 'Jesus is a Wire' - and yes full back Lewis Field does bear a
resemblance !! For the large part this is the only noise inside the stadium as
the tannoy also has 'ongoing issues'....
The rain has stopped and bright winter sunshine and blue skies grace the first
half. Wire winger Chris Gahgan hits the bar within 2 minutes from a cross cum
shot, and then Burscough's keeper's hurried clearance hits his own man and
rolls agonisingly wide.
For a while it's all Warrington but just as the Linnets appear to have
weathered the storm, a short free kick and cut back sees the ball roll under a
defender's foot on the uneven surface, and FA Cup match winner Craig Robinson
taps in to put the Wire one up at half time.
Within a minute of the second half starting centre forward Ben Wharton turns
his marker rather too easily and shoots low into the corner to double the lead.
The game turns feisty with eight yellow cards shown and cries from the crowd of
'Are you practicing, ref?' and 'Have you done this before?'
Thankfully matters calm down and on 67 minutes another Wire free kick, another
horrible Linnets miscue and fellow striker Ashley Ruane half volleys the third
into the exact same spot. Warrington are only denied a fourth, three minutes
later, by an offside flag after hitting the post with the rebound headed home.
In the last ten minutes, with the game won Warrington ease down, and the
Linnets, who have been underwhelming to say the least, come into the game.
Jordan Williams' barnstorming run and shot is rewarded with a goal - a
consolation that the Wire keeper should have saved. Too little too late though
as it finishes 3-1 to the Wire. ☺
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