Clarets sail through in Lancs Cup

Last updated : 26 October 2011 By Tony Scholes
 Jason Gilchrist - scored the first two goals

By then we were three goals to the good after and there was never going to be any comeback for the home side in front of a very sparse crowd on what proved to be a cold night at the Crown Ground.

Burnley had started the brighter and it was probably a surprise that we didn't get our first goal until the 23rd minute. Shay McCartan raced clear down the right hand side, his pace leaving the home defenders trailing, and crossed to the far post where Jason Gilchrist headed home.

Two minutes later and the two combined again. This time McCartan got into the box and hit a shot across the goalkeeper. It smacked against the post and rebounded nicely for Gilchrist to get his second.

Accrington had no answer and on 29 minutes, just six minutes after the opener, it was 3-0. Left back Luke Conlan fizzed a low ball across the six yard box. It wasn't clear who had got a touch. It could have been Tom Anderson or an Accrington player. It looks as though it was the home defender but it just crossed the line with the assistant flagging that it had crossed for an own goal.

Three quick goals flattened the game somewhat but it was still a surprise that we didn't add to the scoreline in the first half. We had to wait until the 8th minute for goal number four.

We won a free kick some 40 yards out and Steven Hewitt scored from it. It wasn't anything spectacular though; it wasn't a good free kick and the ball just about reached the Accrington goalkeeper who spilled it, allowing it to roll into the net.

That was it as far as goals were concerned. We could, and probably should, have had more and right at the end Accrington almost pulled one back. It was though a comfortable win and will see us play Blackpool, Wigan or Tranmere in the semi-final.

The teams tonight were;

Accrington: Adam Smith, Joe Wilkinson, Adam Stockdale, Karl Dailey, Oliver Holden, Ryan Hopper, James Doig, Joe Greenhalgh, Marcus Carver, Josh Peake, Alexander McPolin. Subs: Jack Sergeant, Ben Proctor, Joseph Dawson, Louis Martini, Andrew Dawber.

Burnley: Josh Cook, Aryn Williams (Charlie Holt 70), Alex Coleman, Tom Anderson, Luke Conlan, Cameron Howieson (Alex Mullin 68), Steven Hewitt, Archie Love, Adam Evans, Jason Gilchrist (Lewis Nuttall 68), Shay McCartan. Subs not used: Callum Jakovlevs, Jack Errington.