After their hopes of an FA Cup run were dashed almost before it began earlier in the season with defeat at giantkillers Harrogate Railway Athletic, RMI went in to the game with Burscough with last season's FA Trophy run, ended in the Second Round by eventual Trophy winners Stevenage Borough, fresh in the memory, with the prospect of a much-needed £3,000 available to the winners by virtue of prize money from the FA.

With such a financial boost to the club very much at the forefront of the minds of players and supporters alike, Steve Bleasdale's RMI side started like a house on fire and took the lead with just twelve minutes on the clock when Steve Settle broke through the Burscough defence, muscling off a challenge from a home defender before lashing the ball past one-time Wigan goalkeeper Anthony McMillan.

Victoria Park, with it's somewhat rural location, was left prone to a particularly strong breeze that was causing havoc for Leigh goalkeeper Ben Saynor, on loan from League Two side Bradford City, in the absence of cup-tied Tim Dittmer.

Eighteen year old Saynor was left grateful for the intervention of team mate Jamie Davis when the wind aided a corner kick and deceived Saynor, but left back Davis was in the right place at the right time to head the ball off the line and keep his side in front.

Unfortunately, that lead wasn't to last much longer when a Ciaran Kilheeney shot from distance sneaked past Saynor.

Although only in their first season at Blue Square North level, Burscough have impressed many as they find themselves on the fringes of the play-offs in the league campaign, and they showed that type of quality within minutes of levelling the scores when James Dunn did well to turn on the edge of the area and curl the ball past Saynor.

In what was quickly becoming a very entertaining cup tie, RMI levelled the scores before half-time when a superbly enterprising run from Leon Osborne took the impressive striker, another player on loan from Bradford, to the by-line and put in a teasing low cross that left Settle at the back post with the task of grabbing his second goal of the afternoon.

For the second time in a truly topsy-turvy game, RMI were to again take the lead early in the second half when another low cross from the left hand side, this time via Owen Roberts, left Andy Heald with the simple task of jubilantly nudging the ball in to the net after some excellent play from substitute Richard Chetcuti created the space for Roberts to stretch his legs on the overlap down the left flank.

RMI had a huge chance to seal the victory when Osborne had a shot cleared off the line before Kieran Lugsden was controversially brought down when trying to collect the rebound and, although the referee turned down the penalty claims, Steve Bleasdale's side were able to withstand somewhat of a late onslaught and claim a deserved victory that will do wonders for the confidence of the side, with Steve Brockley and Jonathan Goulding particularly impressive in the RMI defence, while Lee Unsworth and Andy Heald combined well in the centre of midfield, although the plaudits must go to debutant Osborne and strike partner Lugsden, who both looked threatening throughout the game and expertly spearheaded the Leigh attack.

All in all, a satisfactory afternoon's work that might just be the spark that RMI needed to turn around a previously dismal season.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS