Third straight win at nine-man Burscough

Struggling Burscough had a man sent off towards the end of each half, but Tigers missed a number of good chances and sloppy second half passing invited the home side to attack.

However, boss Simon Clark was delighted to maintain his 100 per cent record since taking over the club with the 2-0 victory.

A fourth minute free-kick gave captain for the day Mark Hudson a chance to swing the ball in early on, and when it fell to Ash Burbeary he made a mess of his volley attempt.

The hosts were afforded a similar chance when Jamie Jackson failed to go with the runner from a set-piece and Darren Brookfield hammered a shot over Jon Worsnop’s goal.

A nice cut back from Massiah McDonald came to Alistair Taylor on his left foot and he volleyed just wide.

Bubeary went for the spectacular as Taylor’s ball reached him on the penalty spot, after a brilliant ball forward by Luke Sharry, but skied the ball.

And at the end of an entertaining opening 10 minutes Jackson’s pace took him past Adam Farley, just outside the box, but the Burscough defender brought him down to earn the game’s first yellow.

With 18 minutes gone McDonald found himself with time and space inside the opposition box, and after setting for a shot pinged the ball off the inside of the post.

Burbeary, never afraid to shoot, sent another one well wide of the mark midway through the first half with Tigers getting the best of their hosts.

A defence splitting pass gave Burscough dangerman Mark Beesley a chance to run in on goal but his low effort was weak and easily saved.

Taylor dug out a decent cross from wide right and Jackson hit it first time with the inside of his left foot, Ellison making a sharp diving stop.

McDonald’s strength and balance helped him shrug off a challenge before playing it out wide to Burbeary and the winger sent it straight back in for McDonald who couldn’t get enough on the header.

Seven minutes before the break Tigers finally took a deserved lead.

A quick throw allowed Warlow to pump the ball forward for McDonald, Ellison came off his line and as the ball fell to Burbeary he just had to keep his left foot volley on target, which he did with aplomb.

And two minutes later Worksop were 2-0 up.

Jackson stormed into the box, Farley, already booked, scythed him down and was given his marching orders by the referee.

Hudson stepped up and stroked home the resulting penalty.

The second half began in scrappy fashion with Burscough pushing forward despite their numerical disadvantage and Worksop unable to string passes together with any fluency.

Paul Williams, brought on in the aftermath of the sending off, sent a shot just wide of Worsnop’s right hand post with Tigers sleeping.

Joe Comozzi then tested the Worksop keeper with an effort from the edge of the box but Worsnop made the save at the second attempt.

The visitors stretched the defence and should have gone 3-0 up as Taylor played in Jackson, he squared for McDonald but Ellison blocked his shot.

After a period of dominance from Burscough, Tigers finally broke upfield and McDonald dummied for Sharry to have a shot but he sliced it badly.

Sam Duncum made his entrance with 27 minutes remaining, replacing Taylor and swapping wings with Burbeary.

The substitute was in the thick of it straight away attacking the full-back and crossing for Jackson a few yards out, but he dallied and Burscough cleared.

Ellison was almost caught off his line again as Hudson strode into the opposition half, but the former Rotherham United man sent the ball over.

McDonald’s reticence to pull the trigger allowed Burscough to get bodies in the way after Duncum had skinned his marker and found the striker on the penalty spot, and his partner Jackson was then upended by Conor Roberts who saw yellow.

Marc Roberts had the chance to kill the game with a quarter of an hour remaining, Worksop’s first corner reaching him at the back stick, but he blazed miles over.

With eight minutes left Tigers broke with pace and Burbeary’s shot was saved at his near post by Ellison.

Conor Roberts, who had seemingly lost his composure earlier in the half, said the wrong thing to the referee and got the game’s second red card on 87 minutes.

Tigers have scheduled a friendly match at Rainworth on Tuesday night.

Burscough: Ellison, Comozzi, Crowder (Quirk 63), Farley, Connolly, Brookfield, Parry (McCulloch 52), C. Roberts, Beesley, Jones, Blakeman (Williams 42). Not used: Quirk, Tyson, O’Boyle.

Worksop: Wornsop, Wood, Warlow, Sharry (Fox 82), Shiels, M. Roberts, Taylor (Duncum 63), Hudson, McDonald, Jackson, Bubeary. Not used: Turner, Davidson, Zolna.

Referee: D. McNamara. Assistants: R. Holmes, R. Walsh.

Goalscorers: Burbeary 38, Hudson 40.

Yellows: Farley 11, 39, C. Roberts 71.

Reds: Farley 39, C. Roberts 87.

Attendance: 152.