No danger
Burnley 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Report by Becko
This brought our largest crowd of the season so
far, only bettered on the night by West Brom v Wolves, and 3,000 more than premiership
expectant (not by me) Bolton, and Preston: another sign that we are on the right lines.
We can empathise with Sheffield Wednesday fans;
we've been there for so long, and know that when a bad run gets going it keeps on going. I
think there are more bad times around the corner for Wednesday before things change.
That's why Burnley are allowed to wallow in success at the moment. The recent (i.e. last
twenty years') past doesn't need repeating, and you never know what's around our corner,
so let's be very content in our league position, points and, most importantly, our
performances. Half way through October, and nearly half way to safety.
Wednesday, heading for a record eighth
consecutive league defeat, came out fired up with enthusiasm and little else. It was
Burnley, playing with confidence and experience, who always looked the more likely to
score. We knew that if we scored first, we'd win. How many times in the past have we felt
that if the opposition score first, we'll lose?
A 25 yarder from Davis early on in the first
half - straight into keeper Pressman's ample midriff - showed our intentions. Stan made a
tactical change shortly afterwards as Paul Cook had been caught out a couple of times down
the left. Branchy, with his pace, fitted in better there, and Andy Cooke came on up front.
Both Paul Weller and Branch were incisive and
electric down the wings, often leaving fullbacks trailing. Around the half hour mark a
surging run and cross by Branch was met by the sliding Paul Weller, but somehow - with his
right foot, actually - Pressman cleared it off the line.
Payton put one wide from ten yards and overran a
through ball early in the second half (he's entitled to miss a few though) and we were
beginning to wonder where the goal was coming from.
Kevin Ball's volley from outside the box found
the same ample midriff as Davis, and then Branch cut in from the left in similar style to
Saturday, only to see Pressman turn the shot round the post for a corner.
We had thirteen corners in all, compared to
Wednesday's one. It was from the tenth that Davis finally got the goal. From every other
corner Wednesday defenders had simply blocked his run without ever trying to get the ball
themselves. This time Davis ran across the box, and from the penalty spot powered home a
header. We knew we'd won, and there was still fifteen minutes to go.
We're battling for 90 minutes, not giving up and
grinding out results. Surely we can stay up!
There were five or six players who could have
been man of the match: Davis, Cox, Thomas, Mellon, Weller and Ball. I can remember not
that long ago when it was difficult to think of one person who played alright, never mind
well.
Team:
Michopoulos, Thomas, Davis, Cox, Briscoe, Mellon, Ball, Cook (Cooke 24), Weller, Branch
(Jepson 71), Payton (Johnrose 80). Subs not used: Crichton and Robinson.
Scorer: Davis
(74).
Crowd: 16,732.
Referee: Paul
Danson of Leicester.
London Clarets Man
of the Match: Ian Cox.
The away game
