Let the staying up party commence! Well, perhaps that's too strong,
but finally what we thought was a formality at the start of March has
at last become a reality. We've reached the magical figure of 50 points
and will stay up; 52 to be precise. 49 would probably have been enough,
but a couple more defeats and we'd have been looking over our shoulders.
Does this justify the Board's decision to loan out Little? Well, no
shouts of Super Glen perhaps tells you a story. You see, a winning team
is all that matters, and grumbling and complaining about anything only
happens on the back of defeats. Don't get me wrong - I don't think everything
in the garden is rosy, but I don't necessarily subscribe to the culture
of blame that exists, in that everything has to be someone's fault.
I suppose that is the view of most football fans.
With injuries, suspensions and loans leaving Stan with a threadbare
squad to choose from, wholesale changes from the disaster of 3 days
earlier were never going to materialise. However, Nico replaced Marlon,
whose loss of form and confidence has been evident for several weeks.
Grant's place was taken by Papa, but let's face it, there were several
other candidates who could have made way.
What followed was a show of passion and determination which had been
sadly lacking in recent matches. It obviously begs the question as to
why the players choose to perform one week, and not bother on the next
three. I exempt Gareth Taylor from this general criticism, and it's
ironic that he seems to have won over the majority of fans this season,
without doing anything different to last season. I think he may be on
course to be named Player of the Season by most supporters' groups;
including our own?
The Clarets started brightly and forced a couple of corners. Davis
playing in midfield looked urgent, and Taylor - who must be as confident
as anyone - shot whenever he got the chance. Both Taylor and Davis were
unlucky from corners taken by Briscoe; indeed, Davis's bullet header
was cleared off the line by Alexander, who usually proves to be a thorn
in Burnley's side.
After half an hour, the rub of the green and slice of luck that we
haven't really deserved in recent weeks, but have nevertheless not had,
smiled upon us. Eddie Lewis's 25-yard free kick hit the bar, and bounced
down. TV coverage would later confirm it crossed the line, but it wasn't
given. Still, with Cresswell and Lynch following in (guess if any Burnley
player followed up or whether they stood rooted to the spot) it should
have been irrelevant, but they jumped together and into each other to
head over an open goal from 10 yards, with Nico on the ground.
Ten minutes later, we were in front. A powerful header by Davis was
superbly saved by Lucas, but he could only push the ball out to the
quick-thinking Papa. He scored from a tight angle. Debate centred on
whether it was a shot or cross. I think it was a shot, and it went in
at the far post.
So, ahead at half time, and there were already several candidates for
man of the match. Branch at centre half was marshalling Cresswell; McGregor
(a terrier-like performance), a rejuvenated Davis, and Blake were all
playing well. As was the ever-dependable Taylor, who was getting no
protection from referee Mark Halsey, and was getting penalised every
time he went up for the ball. How many times must we see this treatment?
Preston started the second half brightly - you'd expect that, wouldn't
you? We survived a few scares before we went two up, and what a goal
it was. A thirty-yard free kick by Blake ended up in the back of the
net. At the time we wondered whether Lucas might have been to blame.
Again, TV pictures show he had no chance. Our free kicks usually end
up in the stand or the wall, so it was as surprising as it was fantastic.
Robbie was now at his best - without Glen there aren't that many others
(if any) on his football wavelength in our team. It was from another
Robbie cross two minutes later that Taylor headed against the post -
desperately unlucky; it would have surely killed the game. I can't really
think of too much Preston pressure at the other end, as we felt as comfortable
as you can having conceded 75 goals.
At the final whistle, the sight of Gareth Taylor, fists raised and
holding his shirt out to the crowd, showed what he felt. Let's hope
we don't have to wait until next season for another display like this.
Rebuilding is needed in the summer - will finance allow it? Division
2 will be uncomfortably close if it doesn't.
Party