All that Woodley were lacking was some composure in front of goal as they wasted chance after chance. Their defence and midfield completely nullifed the Albion attack for seventy minutes, proving that there is talent in the lower leagues that aren't chasing personal fortunes. In fact anchoring Woodley's midfield was one Nehru McKenzie, looking ten times the player he was at Mossley last season. Alas all there hard work was undone by a moment of madness from their keeper and the floodgates opened.
However there was plenty of Mossley talk on the terraces, not least because of the number of ex-Seel Park personnel at the game! The half-time score from Burscough was greeted with an air of resignation from the non-travelling faithful, whereas the final score was met with a few splutters of disbelieving laughter. I say final score but as the person on the end of phone line in Burscough put it: "It's four-nil to Buscough...
I could have rang back for the definitive final score a few minutes later but as the chances of a Mossley comeback were slightly less than that of Abraham Lincoln becoming president of the United States again, I decided to save the 15p it would have cost. Of course the Linnet's could have banged in a few more but these days a four goal drubbing is much the same as a five or six goal spanking.
I do have a match report for you though courtesy of the excellent Burscough web site. Be warned though, it does make for some grim reading:
Burscough were down to the bare mininmum in terms of personel due to injury and suspension but they produced a performance of maximum quality as they defeated visitors Mossley 4-0. A first half goal from Mike Tomlinson, his second in a week, and a Matty McGimm second half hat trick sent the Lilywhites home unhappy.
The Linnets began the game strongly and an indication of their superiority throughout the game arrived within the first two minutes. First a Matty Mcginn free kick rebounded down on to the line from the cross bar and scrambled away. Then from the resultant corner Farrell Kilbane saw a header gathered by Danny Trueman.
Mossley did work a good chance shortly after, when a shot was fired across McMillan but went well wide of the Mart Lane goal. With former Linnet, Peter Wright, looking industrious for the visitors Mossley did at least make an occasional chance in the first half.
Then on 12 minutes Burscough took a deserved early lead when Mike Tomlinson got forward and with the Mossley defenders appealing for offside, he looped a header over the stranded Trueman and into the net.
A minute later veteran David Eyres hit a dipping free kick for the visitors that Tony Mcmillan touched behind for a corner, although it did appear to be going wide.
With the impressive Alan Moogan pulling the strings from midfield, Burscough's dominance continued through the half as shot upon shot rained upon the Mossley goal.
On 15 minutes a swerving shot from Dave Roberts was beaten away by Trueman and just 3 minutes later Adam Carden, having the best game to date in a white shirt, had a goal bound shot cleared from the goal line.
37 minutes had elapsed when Dave Roberts once more tried his luck only to see his vicious swerving shot parried by Trueman, the rebound fell to Kilbane whose close range effort was somehow blocked by the over worked Mossley Goalkeeper. The resultant corner was headed wide by an unmarked Tomlinson who failed to double both his and Burscough's goal tally.
Burscough ended the half as they had started but failure to add to their lead would mean the visitors would feel they still had a chance.
Mossley looked to start the half strongly but any comeback was soon extinguished when on 49 minutes a neat interchange of passes between Tomlinson and Carden resulted in a low hard strike at goal which despite Trueman's touch was bundled over the line by Matty McGinn.
The whites began to run riot through the gaps in the Mossley rearguard and the home fans began to think it would be a case of 'how many' and not would the Linnets win. They didn't have to wait much longer for the next addition to the scoreline.
Just after the hour mark a sublime piece of Robbie Booth skill got him to the by line and his hard low cross was turned home by McGinn for his brace.
Burscough continued to torment Mossley, who had all but conceeded defeat, even the visiting supporters could be heard at times cheering every Burscough pass.
Chance after chance came and went as Burscough laid seige on the Mossley goal. Then with 7 minutes left the scoring was completed with Matty McGinn netting his hat trick. More flowing football saw the ball worked down the right and played across the edge of the area. The ball was "dummied" and McGinn hit one of his trademark thunderbolts low past a wrong footed and beleagured Danny Trueman.
The Linnet's didn't let up as both Booth and Kilheeney saw shots blocked and even Tony McMillan tried his luck with a driven free kick from his own half that Trueman just about grabbed. Time ran out and Burscough had run out very worthy winners sending the home support home with an early christmas present.
I don't know about you but when a match report states that the opposition keeper is trying to score from free-kicks in his own half, I get the feeling that we didn't play that well. Having said that, from reading the above report it appears that coming away from Victory Park with only a four goal defeat was something of a result!
It remains to be seen as to whether it will get added to the official "bad game" total (currently standing at 2.5 out of 26) but I have to admit that there is a part of me that's really looking forward to seeing how this one's spun. Seriously though, if that report didn't make your heart sink, this comment from a Linnets fan on the Burscough forum will send it plummeting to your shoes:
Looking at some of the names in the opposition teamsheet I expected a harder game. I must say, that was the worst "team" performance I have seen for a long while from anyone in the same division as Burscough. They were awful; two strapping centrebacks who didn't know what was going on around them, midfielders who didn't track back. As for the full backs, well they were beaten with ease by everyone who attacked them. Poor, very poor Mossley.
Shocking, eh? A sad indictment on Mossley 2006/07.
I've no doubt that it's somehow our fault though.
Oblivion - thy name is a mid-table First Division game at Warrington on wet Tuesday night in December. Or to put it more succinctly: Coming Soon!
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