Harrogate Town has moved into the 4th Qualifying Round of the F A Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over Burscough F C.
Unchanged Town, almost took the lead in the opening seconds when Brendan Daniels just failed to turn in a low cross from Dominic Knowles.
However, on eleven minutes, Town scored their first when Louis Swain made ground from midfield and lashed a long range drive past Calvin Hare.
An opportunistic 35 yard lob from Knowles sailed just wide, but Burscough countered with Liam Caddick testing Peter Crook with a ground shot.
Hare, then had his work cut out to keep out a trademark Daniels free kick from fully forty yards and Paul Clayton headed at the keeper as Town dominated.
Harrogate’s task was made considerably easier, when on the stroke of half time, Referee Marc Edwards sent off Burscough’s, Mike Monaghan, for an over the top tackle on Cecil Nyoni.
Swain, who had been booked in the first half, was replaced by Ryan Fallowfield,but it was ten man Burscough who bravely piled on the pressure.
Defender, Joe Camozzi pushed forward to head Eddie Toner’s cross over the bar, but then two goals in three minutes made the game safe for Town.
On the hour, a long clearance from Peter Crook caught the visiting defence flat footed and Knowles nipped in to lob Hare for the second.
Burscough’s plight worsened when Joe Colbeck found Daniels free on the left and his cross was sliced into his own net by Matty Devine.
Jordan Thewlis and Jack Emmett replaced Clayton and Colbeck, and as Burscough tired, it took a series of fine saves from Hare,including a double block from Daniels and Lewis Turner,to prevent Town from running riot.
Town
1 Crook, 2 Turner, 3 McWilliams, 4 Nyoni, 5 Shiels, 6 Ellis (c), 7 Colbeck (Emmett 72), 8 Swain (Fallowfield 53),9 Clayton (Thewlis 66), 10 Knowles, 11 Daniels.
Unused subs, 13 Stewart (Gkpr),15 McGurk, 16 Bloomer ,19 Cadman.
Scorers, Swain 11,Knowles 61,Devine(og)64, Booking Swain Att.513
Man of Match Knowles
Report by John Harrison and photography by Craig Hurle
