Match Report | Ian Blezard

Manager Somerside had crafted a tight formation from his available players for this testing game under lights at Burnley United, only to see it all crumble as Andy Ireland pulled out of the warm-up with a groin strain. Funny old game though, isn’t it! Adrian Hunt, elevated from the bench as Ireland’s replacement, had his best game in a Garstang shirt.

The starting line up, with Niall Cummins and James Horton now tucked in behind Hunt and Geoff Wilson, had an uneasy start as Burnley piled on the pressure in the opening minutes. Two or three chances went begging, but the only shots that they could muster went high and wide and, despite their early dominance, Jimmy Brindle went untroubled. Gradually, Garstang got into the game with Hunt, and a combative Wilson, making threatening raids into the opposition half, the latter feeling he should have done a bit better with a couple of momentary one-on-ones as Garstang discovered that Burnley’s defensive qualities were some way short of those in attack.

The first goal came in the 20th minute as Garstang’s play became a little more expansive, the midfield now getting up in support of the front two. A frankly iffy bit of passing saw the ball at Horton’s feet on the edge of the box and his crisp volley found the net, apparently passing through the goalkeeper en route. Garstang now enjoyed their best phase of the game, even managing to get the ball on the floor for a bit of a passing game, going through a chaotic and crowded midfield. However, as George Best said ‘one is never enough’ and so it was, with some relief, that Garstang picked up their second in the 40th minute; another Wayne Cropper long throw leading to a Wilson headed strike coming back off the 'keeper Brennan, only for Gaz Fawcett to nod back home.

Garstang started the second half as they finished the first, this time with Butler raiding down the left, creating a chance for Wilson, but they were unable to find the elusive killer goal. Burnley, driven on by their quietly spoken manager and the crowd of seven, who verbally encouraged any Garstang player, or match official, who strayed into earshot, weren’t going to roll over. In the 70th minute, the Burnley centre forward, Dean Stowe, put in another strong run into the box, leaving Cropper and Kilifin in his wake, and it needed Brindle to upend him to halt his progress The crowd bayed for a red card and, had they asked nicely, maybe they would have got it. As it was Stowe was judged to be running away from the goal; so not even yellow for Brindle. Stowe converted.

Burnley now went for broke. Using all three substitutes and pushing three up front, they pressed for the equalizer, but found the Garstang defense resolute. Cummins and Horton are worth a special mention for some stirring work in unfamiliar territory but, at the back, Lee Baker and Dee McEvoy were outstanding, giving Brindle a relatively quiet game. The final phase of the game saw Burnley keeping on the pressure, but increasingly erratic, and, with Hunt and Wilson, later replaced by Carlo Maticheccia, working hard to offer the ‘out ball’, Garstang always looked the more likely to score.

Not a game for the lovers of the beautiful game then, all seven of them, but three deserved and hard earned points that push Garstang FC up into fifth spot in the league.

Garstang: Brindle, Cropper, Butler, McEvoy, Baker, Horton, Kilifin, Fawcett, Cummins, G Wilson and Hunt
Substitutes: C Maticheccia (Wilson), Miller, Harkins

Burnley United: Brennan, Whittaker, Garvin, McLoughlan, Geoghan, Scaife, Heffernan, Cowell, Stowe, M Morrison and Egan
Substitutes: Davis (Heffernan), Chapman (Egan), W Morrison (Cowell)