SPRING chickens were overshadowed by experienced veterans as Accrington Stanley earned their place in the Lancashire United Co-op Challenge Cup semi-final.

Hat-trick hero David Brown eventually wrapped up the tie in the second half of extra time after a youthful starting line-up had earlier failed to see off UniBond Premier Division side Burscough, the FA Cup conquerors of League One side Gillingham.

Manager John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell were introduced in the extra period to show their reserve and fringe players how it was done after Stanley twice came back from behind to be locked at 3-3 at the end of normal time.

While Coleman had thrown Paul Cook into the starting line-up to add some experience to a midfield that included reserve team players Michael Lodge and Shaun Tierney and trialist Mark Boyd, he added his and Bell's name to the list of substitutes after opting to rest a number of first team regulars given their crucial league run-in.

And, with a combined age of 114 for the trio of Coleman, Bell and Cook, it looked as though their vast experience would be needed as Stanley found themselves a goal down after just five minutes when the defence went AWOL and David Eaton to beat goalkeeper Danny Alcock in his first start of the season.

It was almost effortless, however, when Brown restored parity as he latched on to Andy Mangan's pass and buried his low drive into the bottom corner.

Lodge put Stanley in front three minutes later after he followed up Mangan's blocked shot and finished well from just inside the box.

Martin Crowder forced a save from Alcock as Burscough responded, and it was the right winger who got the Linnets back on level terms on 24 minutes as he hammered a bullet header in off the crossbar from captain Ryan Bowen's centre.

At the start of the second half, Burscough regained the lead as Gray slid the ball through Alcock's legs from Eaton's cut-back.

But it only took two minutes for Stanley to hit back as Burscough failed to deal with Boyd's corner and Brown beat debutant goalkeeper Zak Hibbert.

Both sides had chances to avoid extra time but even the introduction of Romuald Boco failed to have the necessary impact and Stanley had to endure another 30-minute spell.

Bell entered the fray on 98 minutes and Stanley got the vital breakthrough from the penalty spot five minutes later. Mangan was felled by Ryan Bowen in the area and Boco did the business from the spot.

Sub Coleman aimed to make his mark in a rare outing as he attempted to score from the centre spot.

But his backheel to Boco two minutes from time was better and Brown finished the job to set up a semi-final with Southport in two weeks.