Saturday 16th March 2019, NWCFL Premier Division

Burscough 3 (Lorde 6, Whyte 42, Cummings 63)
West 0
Att: 75

West slipped to another defeat as Burscough scored three unanswered goals in West Lancashire.

Jordan Lorde and Chad Whyte gave the Linnets a comfortable lead at the interval, and Terry Cummings sealed West’s fifth successive loss after Ishmael Banks was shown red for a late tackle.

With their relegation rivals inactive due to torrential rain across the North West, David Powell’s side had a chance to close the four-point gap on Hanley Town. But they made a woeful start at Victoria Park and allowed Lorde a free header from a free kick inside the first six minutes.

The visitors looked to respond and Daniel McLaughlin, Ramirez Howarth and Robert Bourne all saw half-chances come and go, but Burscough’s leading scorer Whyte added his 33rd goal of the season three minutes before half-time. Slack defending at a set piece was again West’s downfall, as Whyte was able to nod home a corner at the near post.

Any chance of West getting back into the game was dashed seven minutes after the interval. Banks’ heavy tackle in front of the Burscough dugout had the home side’s coaching staff leaping out of their seats, and the referee duly cut short the West defender’s afternoon.

Burscough, who won the reverse fixture at the start of January, secured a double over West when Cummings converted a loose ball from the edge of the box. But the destination of the points had long since been decided and West must focus on a meeting with Padiham that they dare not lose.

West: Burgess, Tinker, Miranda, Bourne, Banks, Eiselt, McLaughlin (Uchegbulam 73), Eckersley, Hall (Shangaya 83), Gavin, Howarth. Not used: Henry, Shaw, Tsegaye.