Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 15th March 2003, 3pm kick-off.

Conditions: Sunny and bright
Ground: Perfect with bare areas in goalmouths

Att: 4,934

Referee: Mr A Marriner

Bookings:
Yeovil: None
Burscough: McAuley (51, deliberate handball)

Line up : (3-4-1-2)

		1. Chris Weale
	2. Adam Lockwood	4. Terry Skiverton	5. Colin Pluck
24. Abdelhalim El Kholti	6. Darren Way		8. Lee Johnson	11. Michael McIndoe
		20. Gavin Williams
	25. Kirk Jackson		9. Kevin Gall

Substitutes: 10. Nick Crittenden (71, for Lockwood) 14. Roy O'Brien, 16. Andy Lindegaard (82, for Johnson), 18. Kim Grant (82, for Jackson), 22. Steven Collis

Burscough: (4-4-2) M Taylor,
Underwood, J Taylor, Teale, MacAuley,
Byrne, Bluck, Norman, Lawless,
Wright, Martindale.
Subs : Burns (76, for Martindale), Molyneux (65, for Byrne), McHale, Maguire, Bowen (81, for Wright).

Scorers: Peter Wright (9 mins, 0-1), (78 mins, 0-2)

This report courtesy of Noddy Elms:

TEALE'S HOMEWORK GETS TEN OUT OF TEN

Burscough achieved the impossible and dumped Yeovil Town out of the FA Trophy to deny the Glovers a repeat of last year's day out at Villa Park. It was an unusual day with all three remaining Conference sides going out, almost as if more powerful forces were at work.

But, to be honest, Burscough deserved their moment of glory: but this match was won as much off the pitch as on. They had a game plan and they stuck to it. Burscough's manager Shaun Teale had done his homework and formulated a plan to ensure Yeovil's downfall and progress Burscough into the FA Trophy semi-finals. Who knows what they can achieve now.

In front of the 4934 mainly home crowd Yeovil dominated possession for the majority of today's game but failed to find that incisiveness to break down a stubborn Burscough defence. Teale took note that visiting team's defensive mistakes had lead to their downfall. Burscough rode their luck and made relatively few mistakes and Yeovil showed their inability to break down a ten man defensive barrier.

Shaun Teale would surely have been happy to defend all day and take Yeovil back to Lancashire. But he must have been ecstatic as his plan paid a rich dividend when Burscough took an eighth minute lead. Byrne capitalised on an uncharacteristic lapse in the Yeovil defence: skipper Skiverton over-committed himself to a midfield challenge and Byrne raced away to set Peter WRIGHT free on the left of the Yeovil penalty area. Lockwood had no chance to make up ground and Wright finished clinically. From that point onward the clock began ticking down for Yeovil.

Although Burscough's confidence grew with that goal, Yeovil soon regained control, but that is only useful when effective. Despite domination Yeovil rarely created chances that could be said to be clear-cut. The best of such chances fell to Jackson after 15 minutes. McIndoe ran straight at the Burscough defence and slipped the ball through to Jackson. But Jackson's final strike went the wrong side of the post.

For much of the game Yeovil stroked the ball across the midfield, often only a few yards outside the Burscough box, but rarely was Taylor in the Burscough goal troubled. Despite their immense contribution to the Glover's season the Yeovil midfield have failed to directly impact the score-sheet. Darren Way is yet to score, Lee Johnson has only hit the back of the net on three occasions, Williams five times, despite a total of over 120 appearances. That is why Yeovil struggle to break down stubborn defences, and that is why Yeovil are not going to Villa Park. Any manager looking at that fact would surely be rubbing his hands. Yet Lindegaard, capable of hitting the back of the net from either up front or from mid-field, and more than capable of those clever little through-balls on the edge of the box, languishes on the bench until far too late.

Today's statistics show a catalogue of optimistic half-chances. Despite domination throughout the first half only Jackson's fifteenth minute chance could be classed as clear-cut. By the 25th minute McIndoe's shot from 30 yards illustrated the level of desperation to which Yeovil had sunk. Seconds later McIndoe was forced to shoot with his right foot, this came much closer than one had hoped as Jackson got a head to the wayward shot to deflect it somewhat closer to the Burscough post, but invariably wide of it.

After 37 minutes it was again McIndoe, a powerful effort, but Taylor had it well covered.

As half time approached Yeovil upped the tempo and won a number of free kicks outside the Burscough box. It was an afternoon that called out for a McIndoe special, but that was not to be. Johnson's later rising free kick was even further off the target. As the first half concluded Johnson's corner was met by a Skiverton header, and although only inches wide, it was not on target.

Half Time: Yeovil Town 0 Burscough 1.

The second half followed a similar pattern: plenty of Yeovil possession, but few "should have scored" chances, and critically, a second Burscough goal. Yeovil began by winning two free kicks close to the edge of the Burscough box, but they came to nought. Williams again highlighted Yeovil's frustration by shooting from neigh on 35 yards, inevitably off target.

Williams was unlucky with Yeovil's best move of the second half after 59 minutes. Judging his run behind the Burscough defence to perfection Williams connected with Macca's through-ball to head onto the top of Taylor's bar. Macca followed that with a left wing cross that eluded all to drift beyond the far post.

With 30 minutes left both managers made substitutions: Molyneux for Byrne for Burscough, then Crittenden for Lockwood for Yeovil. Although the Yeovil favourite's return received generous applause from an admiring home crowd it soon became apparent that Critts still has some way to go before being fully fit. Critts did have a hand in the next Yeovil chance, linking with Jackson and setting up Gall, but his overhead kick was weak and off-target.

If Yeovil were now desperate, their plight became impossible on 77 minutes. With Yeovil pushing forward their two best players, El Kholti and McIndoe, contrived to lose the ball and Burscough set off on a rare counter attack. WRIGHT was away with only Pluck and Weale to beat, the Burscough man cut onto his left foot as he entered the Yeovil box and smashed the ball inside the far post: Yeovil 0 Burscough 2. Game over.

Burscough replaced Martindale and Wright with Bowen and Maguire, Yeovil replaced Jackson and Johnson with Grant and Lindegaard. The Yeovil line up now showed the desperate position they were in, Skiverton pushed up front leaving Pluck and El Kholti at the back. Burscough again looked the more likely to score as they mounted a rare counter-attack with Yeovil pushing forward.

Yeovil continued to dominate the last ten minutes but McIndoe's third free kick was the closest they came deep into four minutes of injury time, his shot bouncing off the top of the Burscough bar.

Final Score: Yeovil Town 0 Burscough 2.

Down and out of the FA Trophy but Yeovil must learn from today's disappointment. Yeovil have often struggled to over-come a resolute defence. It's time the Gaffer sorted that out before anybody else realises how easy it is to beat Yeovil Town.

Noddy Elms

Overall match rating: 4.2 / 10
Performance: 3.8
Entertainment: 4.6

36 votes received.

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