One man
team?
Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 0
Report by Becko
As I left Valley Parade in September after our
3-2 victory, I overheard two Bantams fans bemoaning the fact that they had been beaten by
a one man team. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't believe it, but after five games
without Glen, and only two points picked up, I was beginning to wonder if we could win
again without him. Well we did, sort of . Glen was on the bench, and came on for the last
15 mins - but we were already one up then.
This was the main pre-match talking point. If
Glen was fit why was he on the subs' bench. Was it psycholological? The team seemed to
play better. Was it because they felt more confident with the talisman waiting in the
wings?
Stan changed tactics and played three central
defenders. Arthur man marked Clinton Morrison, and didn't let him have a sniff at goal all
night. Weller played at right wing back and did a good defensive job on the left winger
Julian Gray. He struggled going forward, but the fact that we kept a clean sheet was
vitally important.
Both sides were evenly matched; despite the fact
that the division's top two scoring teams were in opposition it was a tight game, and it
was a welcome change that the one goal that separated the teams was this time scored by
the Clarets.
I like night games at the Turf. There always
seems to a good atmosphere. The crowd seems to get behind the team more, and the games
seem somehow more exciting. I felt there were similarities to the Fulham game at
home last season, and although we were hanging on defiantly at the end of the game, we
restricted Palace to only two chances. Gray hit the bar whilst Niko was stranded early on,
and at the end Thomson pulled his shot wide after being put in a good position by
Morrison.
The only goal came after 17 mins and was scored
by Paul Cook. Did he mean it? At first I thought so, but having seen it on TV, I'm not so
sure. Apparently Cooky says he did, so let's believe him. Anyway, it doesn't matter,
it went in the net, and we got three points. Briscoe played the ball long and Taylor
flicked on. Cooky was about six feet in from the touchline, around the six yard box. The
ball arrived at his left foot, and he did well to lob the keeper.
That was about it for goalmouth action, as both
teams cancelled each other out. Burnley had to cope with Referee Mike Clattenburg, a man
I've never heard of, and hope I never do again. A real 'awayer'! Every time Taylor went
for a ball in the air it was a foul. Eventually he got booked, and after that he couldn't
jump with any conviction. Why do some refs think that they are bigger than the teams? Why
not let the game flow?
The biggest cheer of the night, apart from the
goal, was when Glen came on. He immediately beat two men and played the ball across field
to Payton to remind us what we had all been missing. His introduction was also a massive
lift to the team for the final 15 mins as we withheld the Palace attack. It's always
nerve-wracking when you're only one up, but in retrospect we weren't really bombarded at
all.
Four minutes of injury time, and Arthur (man of
the match) dispossesses Morrison on our 18 yard line. He runs the entire length of the
pitch, with Glen to his left and Payton to his right, and he shoots from 25 yards high
into the Cricket Field Stand. It would have been a great goal, one to rival Tommy
Cummings' legendary effort. The professionals would say he should have passed, and it
would have been taken into the corner to waste time, but you can forgive moments like that
when you are winning.
Team:
Michopoulos, Cox, Davis, Gnohere, Weller, Ball, Grant, Cook (Armstrong 74), Briscoe,
Taylor (Little 83), Ian Moore (Payton 89). Subs not used: Cennamo and
Papadopoulos.
Scorer:
Cook (17).
Crowd:
14,713.
Referee: Mr
Mike
'Battenburg' Clattenburg - remember his name.
Becko's man of the match: Arthur Gnohere.
The away game and this game last
season
