Match Report: Burscough (0) - (5) Farsley Celtic

Celts crush Linnets to move within two points of league leaders.

The Celts came away with a 5-0 win from their trip to Victoria Park in a game that was in the main tetchy and at times plain ugly, as Burscough finished the game with nine-men.

Farsley were quick out of the blocks and had a scoring chance in the opening minute as Aaron Hardly played in loanee Jacob Hazel, who was making his first full start for the club, but his effort on target was fumbled to safety by Burscough keeper Cheetham.

The Celts were soon into their patient passing game, but were caught out on eight minutes when Shacklock was played in on goal, only for Graeme McKibbin to save. As momentum built, Farsley had a number of corners in the opening quarter of the game, but were unable to apply the finishing touch.

Paul Walker was having a great deal of success out wide and was unlucky that his run and crosses on twenty-one and twenty-three minutes brought no reward. Similarly, on the other flank Aaron Hardy was finding space and his cross on twenty-six minutes bounced dangerously around the Burscough box before it was cleared.

The opening half an hour became increasingly tetchy as frustrations began to boil over with young Burscough centre-back Liam Hollett struggling to handle the experienced James Walshaw as the Celts dominated proceedings.

After thirty-four minutes Nathan Turner broke into the home team box, but his shot was smothered by Cheetham. Burscough were struggling to create any momentum, but were awarded a free-kick on thirty-six minutes in a dangerous position. The Farsley wall did its job in blocking the effort from Davies and the follow-up shot was easily gathered by McKibbin.

Just as the Linnets thought they might have weathered the storm and would go into the break level, the Celts took the lead in time added-on. Walker got out wide and his cross was fired goal-ward by Ross Daly. Lurking though was Richard Marshall to flick home the ball and give the Celts the lead.

As with the first-half, the Celts were on top from the start, as Walshaw was played in, although his shot passed wide. in the opening forty-five minutes there had been a number of rash challenges which the referee had opted to deal with by lecturing the players concerned rather than issue cards. However, this all changed in the second-period.

Miller was booked for the Celts (47 mins) and McNally for Burscough (51 mins), before on fifty-four minutes play was stopped and after consultation between one of the assistants and the referee, Nevitt was sent-off for an elbow on a Farsley player.

With a one-man advantage the Celts turned the screw and on the hour mark, Walshaw turned brilliantly in the box before shooting and earning a corner. Just two minutes later, Farsley had a two-goal cushion. Walker was once again dangerous out wide for the Celts and his cross was turned into his own net by Ryan Scholfield.

Ten minutes later and the points were effectively sealed as Walshaw collected the ball and drifted across the Burscough penalty area, before firing home into the bottom corner for Farsley’s third of the afternoon.

Hollett was booked on seventy-four minutes and it proved to be his last contribution of the game as he was immediately substituted. Two minutes later and another Burscough name went into the book as Shacklock received a yellow card.

The home side though did create a chance eleven minutes from time as substitute Smith bore down on the Celts goal. However, McKibbin was out to save and keep another clean-sheet for Farsley and deny Burscough any sort of consolation.

The Celts though continued to press and had their fourth goal of the day, when substitute Chris Howarth played in Walshaw who scored his second of the afternoon.

The referee’s work wasn’t finished for the day as he brandished a second yellow to Reece McNally on eighty-four minutes to reduce the Linnets to nine-men. It meant that the final minutes of the game were all played in the Burscough half with the Celts creating chances at will.

On eighty-eight minutes Hazel was played into the box but fired over the bar. The striker though got his rewards just a minute later as Peter Davidson put Hazel through, who clipped the ball past Cheetham to complete the rout of Burscough.

It could have been worse for the Linnets as in time added-on, the Davidson brothers had great chances. Alex hitting the post and Peter shooting over when well placed.

A good week for the Celts had seen them take six points from the two games and meant that they were just two points off top-spot.

Burscough: Cheetham, Ryan (c), McNally, Brown (Smith 55), Hollett (Kale 74), Schofield, Vaughan-Muscat, Doyle, Nevitt, Shacklock, Davies (Sherriff 70).
Subs not used: Douglas, Watts.

Farsley Celtic: McKibbin, Hardy, Serrant, Turner (Alex Davidson 74), Savory, Miller (c), Hazel, Daly (Peter Davidson 70), Walshaw, Marshall, Walker (Howarth 74).
Subs not used: Deacey, Knowles.

Attendance: 75