KEVIN HULME was the saddest man in Radcliffe on Saturday night.

For while the Boro were creating a little bit of history on an afternoon to savour, Hulme had the edge taken off his two-goal display for York against Torquay when he heard the Radcliffe result.

Hulme began his career with the Boro and still lives in the area, but he'll miss out on a return to another of his old clubs, Bury, on Sunday as he serves a one-match suspension.

"I heard the Radcliffe result over the tannoy and thought that's typical," said Hulme. "I'm gutted."

There was no such doom and gloom in the Boro dressing room around about the same time.

Simon Carden, scorer of Boro's equaliser on Saturday, described it as "one of the greatest football feelings of my life" after the game.

He may better it on Sunday. But whatever happens, no-one can take away what Radcliffe achieved on Saturday. Knocking out a team from a higher division -- and coming from behind to do it -- to reach the first round for the first time in their history means they have done the hard part and they can now go out and enjoy the occasion on Sunday.

They should be used to the media attention by then. They will come in for a lot of it over the next few days as the build-up to the game against York gets under way.

The Boro are the lowest ranked team from the North left in the competition and, with Bernard Manning linked with the club through his son being the chairman, you can be sure that media spotlight will fall on Stainton Park before the weekend.

Whether they can live up to all the hype that will no doubt be spun remains to be seen, but if they play like they did in the second half against Burscough they could surprise one or two people.

There didn't look to be much down for the Boro after the first half hour, particularly after Robbie Talbot had fired the UniBond Premier League team ahead in the 29th minute when he was given far too much time and space to fire a shot into the top left-hand corner after Ray Birch's pass had played him through a square Boro defence.

Boro had hardly posed a threat to the Burscough goal and the visitors were full value for their lead.

But Boro stuck to their task and gradually began to make inroads into the Burscough defence, thanks in no small way to the efforts of the evergreen Ian Lunt, who worked tirelessly all over the park providing the link between the midfield and his co-strikers.

It paid off four minutes from the break when a superb cross played behind the Burscough defence by Lunt from the left found Carden on the far post and he made no mistake, slotting the ball in between post and keeper.

The goal couldn't have come at a better time for Boro and it had the desired effect as they took the game to Burscough in the second half, John Bagnall, in goal, keeping the Linnets in the tie, much as he had done in the first match at Victoria Park.

Scot Wilson saw a header saved at the foot of a post and Carden had another shot stopped by Bagnall as Boro piled on the pressure.

They got their reward in the 67th minute when Tony Whealing played in yet another cross from the left, this time right onto the head of Neil Hardy at the far post and he had no trouble planting the ball firmly into the back of the net.

Hardy had another header saved by Bagnall nine minutes later and five minutes from the end Lunt rattled the crossbar with another shot.

Burscough caused a few hearts to flutter when they forced the ball in following an 86th minute goalmouth scarmble, but the referee ruled it out for a foul on Boro keeper Danny Hurst.

The game ended on a sour note for the Linnets when Mark Wilde was sent off for a second bookable offence, but, fittingly, Bagnall was at the centre of the final action when he blocked another Carden shot with his legs.

The scenes of celebration amongst the bumper crowd of 769 at the final whistle were a joy to behold. Chairman Manning came perilously close to ending up with a suit covered in mud as he balanced precariously on the perimeter wall, arms aloft in sheer delight.

The players were cheered long and loud in a packed clubhouse later, so much so that Manning and manager Kevin Glendon had to leave the party in search of more beer for the bar to ensure an 18th birthday celebration, booked for later in the evening, went ahead without any hitches!

The Boro lads will think all their birthdays have come at once if they achieve the nigh-impossible and knockout York. But, for now, fans and players alike should just enjoy it as the big day approaches.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH: Hurst 7, Battersby 7, Whealing 8, S Kelly 8, Bean 7, Dempsey 7, LUNT 9*, Carden 8, Wilson 7, Hardy 8, Price 7. Substitutes: E Kelly (for Carden 89mins), Collins (for Lunt 90). Not used: Edwards, Callaghan, Senior.

Referee: Mr A Penn (Birmingham). Attendance: 789.