Boro battle to Burscough victory

Scarborough Athletic maintained their impressive start to the season on Saturday when they had too much for Burscough.

The 2-0 victory at Queensgate forced Boro up to third in the Evo-Stik North and also showed a variety of different sides to their game.

Not only did they demonstrate neat, incisive attacking play during the first half, but they also exhibited the guile and fight to hold on for the three points after the break.

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Boro started the game superbly and they could have been a couple of goals ahead after just five minutes.

Gary Bradshaw’s ball into the box was collected by James Bennett, but Tim Horn grabbed the ball off his toe before the trigger was pulled.

Then Jimmy Beadle broke into the area, but he missed his kick with keeper Horn floored.

The opening goal was a formality and it arrived after nine minutes in simplistic fashion.

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Paul Robson delivered a fine ball into the box and Bradshaw rose unchallenged to head home.

There was more to come from Boro as they continued to move the ball confidently around the pitch.

Ryan Blott was the next player to wriggle free and his low shot struck the foot of the post and bounced to safety.

Then a corner from the left just evaded the head of Middleton, who would have had little to do from three yards.

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Burscough posed little threat, but the odd attack caused a few furrowed brows on the Boro bench.

Full-back Phil Quirk was picked out on the far post, but his poor header bounced easily into the hands of Jason White.

Blott had a header tipped over the bar and then his strike-partner Bradshaw nodded just wide of the target.

Blott’s account was soon opened though as Boro doubled the advantage five minutes before the break.

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The ball was fed into his feet 10 yards from goal. His first time shot looped up off a defender and sailed agonisingly beyond Horn’s outstretched fingers.

The second half was a different story, as Boro either stepped off the gas or Burscough upped their game.

The Merseyside outfit almost trimmed the lead just seconds in when Boro’s left side evaporated and Joe Camozzi smashed an effort against the angle of post and bar.

Liam Caddick then flashed a shot across the face of White’s goal as Boro’s slow start continued.

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Comozzi again found time and space in the Boro box, but he dragged his effort wide of the target.

Boro were still a threat when they did manage to venture forward.

Middleton again rose well in the box, but he diverted a free-kick into the box just wide of the target.

Sub Jordan Thewlis added a little more verve to the Boro performance when he arrived on the field.

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He was clearly felled in the box just moments after his introduction, but referee Rob Atkin shook his head.

Boro finished with a little more promise as Burscough began to tire.

Blott was unlucky not to grab his second when he flicked a header just wide and the impressive Jimmy Beadle drilled an effort from 45 yards inches past the post of Burscough keeper Horn.