Comeback
Crew
Burnley 3 Crewe 3
Report by Becko
Watching Burnley this season is anything but boring. With an
average of over four goals per game it's certainly value for money, and although we're
more than capable of conceding (only three teams have conceded more in Division One) we're
also joint top scorers in the Division and have 11 different scorers. 1-0 victories are a
thing of the past. So why are gates down? Why have we sold 1,200 fewer season tickets? I
wonder if we were in the Premiership playing Charlton at home tonight whether the crowd
would be any more, and I suspect not.
I confess to being concerned before the game that we had too many injuries to key
players, and that concern proved to be well founded. What I didn't doubt was that all 11
Clarets would battle. This they ultimately did – to the 94th minute, to be precise
– but it took them 45 minutes to get started. Rather like Norwich on Saturday, we
decided to give the opposition a two goal start before we started playing. The
frailty of the defence, and lack of pace without Cox, is the major reason we are leaking
goals. Little is irreplaceable – enough said – and Alan Moore was sorely missed.
With NTG struggling to kick and move in general I question (loosely) the decision to
sell the Admirable One. Stan didn't want to bring on Cennamo at Norwich because he wanted
to use three outfield subs. Davis once more took goal kicks whilst Cennamo sat on the
bench. What's the point – if Crichts were still a Claret he would have played last
night. Without criticising NTG for any goal (in fact, he saved brilliantly for the second
from a powerful Rob Hulse shot, pushing the ball high into the air; half a dozen players
crowded him and the descending ball, but it was a Crewe player who somehow forced it over
the line), he remained rooted to the spot for the first and allowed Hulse to head home for
the third from within the sixyard box. Possibly he was unsighted for the first, but he
never attacked Lunt's cross for the third; it was his to claim or punch, and probably the
injury contributed to his lack of mobility.
So Archie came in at left back and Brisser pushed forward to the left side of midfield
instead of Alan Moore. Weller replaced Little on the right. Both Little and Moore A are
crucial to our team, and if Little is out for too long, well, it doesn't really bear
thinking about – but forget top two.
The first 45 minutes were worse than Norwich. Apart from the usual running and energy
of Ian Moore there was no creativity. We'd had an early scare within ten minutes when the
lively Hulse had beaten Dean West but dragged his near-post shot into the side netting. It
wasn't long before we went one down, when a right-wing cross was passed straight to Kenny
Lunt by Armstrong (nearly a hero Saturday, villain Tuesday), who passed into the net
through a packed area whilst NTG stood and watched.
After 29 minutes we were two down. I've already described NTG's stunning save and the
ball being forced home by a Crewe player. That the Burnley defence weren't quicker to
clear for a corner or head away confirmed their general sluggishness. Archie was caught
out of position far too many times, and the pacy (man of the match) Rodney Jack left Davis
and Armstrong trailing in his wake on numerous occasions. Dean West is strong in the
challenge of attackers coming towards him, but if they pass him he's second best –
remember Iain Anderson for PNE at Turf Moor, March 2000?
Before Crewe's second we'd already resorted to hoofing it forward via Davis. Taylor won
most things, but no-one picked it up; Weller was straying into the middle of the field and
there were no options. At 2-0 I thought the only way back was going to be from a
set-piece. Within minutes we had that chance, Moore's pace taking him into the box with
only the keeper to beat. Tackled from behind = penalty. I thought there was contact, and
in that position a red card follows, doesn't it? Mr Webster from Chester-le-Street
consulted for several minutes with his assistant. Why? He'd given the penalty, he couldn't
be confused as to who was responsible, but he produced a yellow. Now I'm not generally in
favour of sending players off, but when refs do they tell us it's the rules. Hmm. Paul
Cook didn't look at all confident and placed his kick straight at huge Alex keeper
Bankole. That's two he's missed so far – we got a second chance at Hillsborough, but
no such luck here. I think it's time we got another taker. What about Ian Moore? He could
perhaps get 15 if he took penalties. Just a thought.
Paul Cook is probably the most unpopular player at Burnley, but I for one think he's
worth his place in the team. He's only remembered for the things he does wrong, not the
things he does well like covering the left side of defence, chasing balls out wide, and
playing 20 yard passes. Just before half time he chased into the Alex box and was booed by
people in the Harry Potts upper tier – no surprise there! Only a few, but I could
hear it.
No way back? Well, we can change systems, and Stan brought Mullin on for Paul Cook (who
wasn't fully fit either). I thought his days may have been numbered after the Rushden
debacle, but he played well on the left. Weller really got at them on the right at last.
Before we got back in the game, Crewe almost scored twice. Hulse headed wide –
Armstrong and Davis berated Archie for letting him run in unchallenged; then Jack left the
back four trailing and blasted a 20-yarder against the base of the post with acres between
a Burnley player and the Crewe forward Rob Hulse, who somehow put the ball into the
players' tunnel from 18 yards. 62 minutes – game on. Weller skipped past a couple of
defenders and put a deep cross into the box for Taylor to head powerfully into the corner.
By now Payton was on for West, and Stan went 3-3-4. Of course it left us exposed at the
back, but we had to go forward. Weller and Mullin were again causing problems, and it was
Weller who was upended in the 82nd minute. Payton made sure he stayed calm and we took a
deep breath. We let it out as he hit the penalty firmly into the same bottom corner as
Rotherham giving Bankole no chance.
We thought we'd got a point – so did the team, and they sat back almost
congratulating themselves on a fine comeback. Crewe had other ideas, and they went for all
three. The marking from the free kick leading to Hulse's goal two minutes into injury time
was non-existent. People got up and started to leave. Fortunately the Clarets didn't give
up. Straight from the kick-off Moore ran at the Crewe team, beating four men before he was
blocked on the edge of the box. Stan says we don't know when we're beaten, and that
quality may yet prove as effective as any team full of big-money players. It's certainly
evident in Bolton's team, and look where they are.
Still time for one more push. Briscoe's long ball was expertly flicked on by Taylor,
and the ball fell to the man you would want it to. Payts buried it!
I didn't realise it was so late – I hadn't seen the sign with added time and I
thought we may have four or five more minutes. Enough time to win it, I thought. In
hindsight it was a good job the final whistle blew ten seconds later, because we'd have
probably lost it!
Team
(initially 4-4-2): Michopoulos, West (Payton 52), Davis, Armstrong (Thomas 63),
Gnohere, Weller, Ball, Cook (Mullin 45), Briscoe, Taylor, Ian Moore. Subs not used:
Cennamo and Ellis.
Scorers:
Taylor (62), Payton (83 pen, 90) / Lunt (17), Foster (28), Hulse (90).
Crowd:
13,964.
Referee: Mr C
H Webster (Durham).
Becko's
man of the match: Gareth Taylor.
The away match and
this game last
season
