Burscough 3 – 2 Gillingham

TWO last gasp goals earned Unibond League Premier Division Burscough a deserved FA Cup first round victory over a humiliated Gillingham on Saturday.

First the minnows equalised in the 88th minute when the ball bounced in off defender Ian Cox after a goalmouth scramble.

Then, in the third minute of stoppage time, Neale Cooper’s side were left stunned as substitute David Rowan won the game for Burscough.

There are 76 league places separating the two sides but Burscough were the better side for much of the game.

The Gills got off to the worst possible start when the home side took a 10th minute lead after a mistake by keeper Tony Bullock.

Bullock came for a cross but never made it and the ball fell kindly for Burscough skipper Bell who slotted home with his left foot.

The goal came against the run of play as it was the visitors who had made most of the early running. The closest Gillingham came before the goal was a Paul Smith shot which cannoned back off the crossbar.

Neale Cooper’s side suffered yet another injury blow after 16 minutes when Andy Hessenthaler had to be replaced by young striker Frannie Collin.

Mark Byrne almost doubled Burscough’s lead shortly before half-time but Bullock did well to tip his long-range effort over the bar.

The home side started the second half brightly and looked the more likely to score.

Byrne forced a good save from Bullock in the 50th minute and it really should have been 2-0 seconds later but David Eaton lashed a shot just wide of the post.

But Gills came back into it and Collin was denied a decent shout for a penalty just before Matt Jarvis showed good composure to equalise in the 58th minute.

Substitute Mark Saunders released Jarvis down the left-hand side and the young winger did well to bring the ball onto his right foot before finishing superbly.

And Saunders put the visitors ahead when he ghosted between defenders to convert from close range with 13 minutes to play.

Gillingham were forced to play the last half hour with 10 men after Mike Flynn was dismissed for a two-footed tackle on Burscough goalscorer Bell.

Despite their one-man disadvantage, the Gills looked to be heading through until Burscough’s dramatic late show.

Gillingham: Bullock, Wallis, Hope, Cox, Williams, Hessenthaler (Collin 16), Smith, Crofts (Saunders h-t), Jarvis, Flynn, Harris.
Subs Not Used: Crichton, Johnson, Stone.