TRAFFORD battled against an impressive Burscough side but the sending off of full back Danny Lambert on the hour proved to be the turning point of an entertaining game as they lost 4-1.

Tom Baker's side were on top in the opening stages although debutant centre back Tom Smyth was fortunate when he appeared to bundle over Liam Caddick in the penalty area.

In the eighth minute Burscough were awarded a highly debatable penalty when goalkeeper Luke Pilling was adjudged to have tripped Michael Monaghan and justice was seemed to have won when Eddie Toner blasted the spot-kick well over the crossbar.

Despite that miss, the home side were growing in confidence and after an angled drive by Monaghan was pushed past the post by Pilling, they took the lead in the 22nd minute when a corner was drilled in to the near post and Nick Ryan flashed a header into the far corner.

Joe Shaw then went close to equalising with a free kick that was held at the foot of the post by Calvin Hare and Smyth headed inches wide from eight yards after great work by Jack Dorney.

Dorney himself struck a powerful drive that was parried by Hare with Chris Palmer blasting the rebound against a home defender.

The second half began with Trafford appealing in vain for a penalty after Joe Shaw appeared to be bundled to the ground but Burscough responded in devastating fashion to make it 2-0 in the 54th minute when Matty Devine split the visiting defence with a superb pass allowing Monaghan to skip past Pilling and slot the ball home.

Four minutes later, Trafford dangerman Phil Dean reduced the arrears when he cut in from the left and cracked a great low drive past Hare and into the far corner.

Trafford’s chances of a fightback were immediately hampered by the unfortunate dismissal of Lambert following a second yellow card but for a while they made light of the disadvantage with some enterprising attacking football.

However, in the 75th minute the points were virtually secured for Burscough when a great move ended with Liam Caddick breaking clear and coolly guiding the ball past the oncoming Pilling.

And five minutes later the scoring was completed when a corner from the left was headed home by the unmarked Paul Jewell.

Trafford will be desperate to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they travel to the world’s oldest club, Sheffield FC, in the Preliminary Round of the FA Trophy and then on Tuesday night they entertain Droylsden at Shawe View in the First Round of the Manchester Premier Cup, kick off 7.45 pm.