Report from George Clandon

Wyre Villa 0. Burscough Richmond 4.

Richmond made their way to Wyre near Blackpool for yet another crucial game on their push for promotion.

Enforced changes complicated manager Mike Clandon’s final team selection; as it turned out after a little apprehension before the game Burscough Richmond came away with a convincing 4-0 win.

On an overcast day with a strong breeze blowing down the ground, Richmond got the game underway, kicking with the breeze.

The early part of the match was not conducive to good and accurate play by either side, and it was Richmond who took an eighteen minute lead after several attempts leading up to the goal.
A corner kick by Jack Golding looked like it had been over hit, the ball headed back into the danger zone by Scott Taylor who although at full stretch managed to find Ian McKinty, who although well marked by several defenders managed a return pass back to the big central defender to hammer the ball high into the back of the Villa net from close range.

That man McKinty was in the action again, scoring the second goal closing half time, a tremendous defence splitting pass by Jack Golding gave the Richmond forward what looked an easy chance.
The forward mysteriously checked his stride for reasons unknown to all except himself - then was closed down by a Wyre defender. We needn't have worried as this did not hinder the smaller Richmond front man who rounded his marker, driving the ball into the top right hand corner of the net with an exceptional finish.

Referee Mr Milliband blew for half time with Richmond happy with a well organised first 45 minutes and the added bonus of two goals.

Richmond started to play some really fluent football in the second half, midfielders Tom Corrigan and Chris Jones working well together in tricky conditions. Tom O'Malley in the Richmond goal had to be on his mettle on several occasions with shots and crosses into his area; he made two outstanding saves in the early part of the second half.

Richmond had been well marshalled in defence by Scott Taylor in the early period of the second half, and a free kick ended at the feet of Taylor, upfield for the set piece. What no one was expecting was a thumping shot from the Richmond centre half that left Callum Croft in the Wyre goal totally shell shocked as the 25 yard effort fizzed past him, ballooning out the back of the net for the away side to go three up on the hour mark.

The fourth goal by the influential Nathan Martland was no less inferior than the Taylor third; a superb cross field ball from Jack Golding found Martland in acres of space, the Richmond man ran forward, took aim and once again left the host keeper clutching fresh air.

This was another super finish which guaranteed the Burscough side all three points.

Two men of the match this week from manager Clandon who chose midfielder Tom Corrigan and the ever improving Nathan Martland. He was immensely happy with the performance, especially the second half.

And it’s a massive football week for Richmond, yesterday was a top five clash against Milnthorpe away, then the real big one when they take on Blackpool’s Wren Rovers in the final of the Lancashire Amateur Shied, at the County Ground Leyland, 7.30. ko. This is an unbelievable pairing with Richmond currently in third place in division one with Blackpool in second in the Premier league and in the hunt for three competitions.

Richmond are the real underdog, and the match is a tough call, but Wigan beat City in the FA cup a few years back, so who knows?

We'd love your support!

‘Come on you yellows!’