As if
Cardiff 2 Burnley 0
Report by Pauline Pratley
It never fails to amaze me how optimistic most of us are. The Clarets may have capitulated shamefully to Watford only a few days previously, but before today's game most of us were fairly confident of ‘getting a result’ at Cardiff.
It's all down to faulty logic, no doubt. If the previous performance was good, then the team will be on a high and will continue the good form. And if the previous performance was bad, then (naturally) the team will be motivated to banish the memory by winning the next game. Goodness, how do we ever lose more than one game a season?!
Still, logic notwithstanding, I was fairly hopeful of a draw at least. Cardiff had lost their previous two games, and I figured that Burnley probably stood more chance away from the negative home atmosphere. (I know: if the team's playing badly, then people have a right to express their dissatisfaction. I just feel that sometimes the expressions of dissatisfaction precede - precipitate, even - the bad performances.)
First, though, we had to get to Ninian Park. Naturally, the train from Paddington was delayed en route - by over an hour. Something to do with a failed freight train, apparently. It didn't give us a good impression of ‘First Great Western’ on the one and only occasion we used that train operating company this season.
Naturally, our carefully-laid pre-match plans went somewhat awry. We stopped off at Newport beforehand, so as to avoid any potential trouble in Cardiff, and it was then a bit of a rush to make the ground on time for kick-off.
On arrival at the ground, the first thing I noticed was that something had happened to the away end! The last time I'd been there, it had been an open terrace. Now the area was split into seats at the front and a terrace at the back, the whole lot covered by a roof. It was pretty claustrophobic, and I have to say that I preferred it as it was before.
I'd bought a ticket for the seats, so found my allocated place - towards the outer edge of the stand - and settled down. Almost immediately, a friendly steward appeared and urged me to move towards the centre of the stand, as I'd "get a better view and stay dry if it rains". Very thoughtful, and obviously one of the few remaining stewards who see their job as looking after supporters, rather than searching for petty things to hassle them about. As some marketing guru or other once said, what a refreshing change.
From my new seat - which indeed did have a much better view - I saw Burnley make an excellent start to the game, and the earlier optimism seemed entirely justified. (Yes, it's another example of faulty logic: predicting the whole ninety minutes on the basis of the first ten. Guilty as charged.) Our defence was barely troubled early on as the Clarets pushed forward. Robbie Blake looked extremely lively (up front with Di Branchio, who had replaced Ian Moore), and was unlucky not to score: a shot out of nothing looked destined for the top corner, but the tip-over from Bluebirds keeper Martyn Margetson was equally good.
As the half progressed, Cardiff came back into the game somewhat, but that was probably to be expected. Still, we were keeping Robert Earnshaw fairly quiet; our midfield looked tight and even the defence didn't look as wobbly as usual. I felt that John Robinson looked the player most likely to trouble us - he was clearly a cut above most of the other talent on show.
As it turned out, no-one scored in the first half. I was very pleased with 0-0 at half time. Cardiff had probably enjoyed more of the possession overall, but lacked any real threat. A point would do very nicely! All we had to do was keep doing the same things in the second half. I was pretty confident.
For most of the second half, the game still seemed to be heading towards 0-0. Cardiff were playing a lot better, but still couldn't break through (although ex-Claret Alan Lee should have done better with a free header).
With twenty minutes to go, Tony Grant was taken off, apparently injured (which was a bit worrying), and replaced (to a less than gracious welcome from the Cardiff fans) with ex-Swan Lenny Johnrose. (I fervently hoped that Lenny would score a last-minute winner just to spite them!) The enforced substitution made no difference to the game, though, with Johnrose carrying on where Grant had left off.
And then, Lennie Lawrence made a substitution which was to completely change the course of the game. It was a bit of a gamble, as he took off Earnshaw and brought on ex-Middlesbrough forward Andy Campbell. I didn't feel unduly worried at the time, reasoning that the sub would be no better than the player he'd replaced. (Yes, yet more faulty logic!) It quickly became clear, though, that Burnley couldn't handle Campbell. He seemed to be about eight feet tall - I was surprised to find out later that he's only five feet eleven - and gave Cardiff the physical presence they'd perhaps lacked earlier.
In no time at all he'd jinked his way into our penalty area, where he somehow ended up on the ground. I don't know whether it was a penalty. I was looking through the net at the time, and I haven't had the heart to watch the incident on TV since, though I'm told that Mark McGregor was the guilty party. Referee Mr Jones had no doubts, though, and pointed to the spot immediately. Midfielder Richard Langley stepped up and neatly despatched the ball past The Beast. 0-1.
The Clarets were shell-shocked - as were those of us watching. Barely two minutes later Cardiff were two up, Robinson playing in... Andy Campbell.
To be honest, it could then have been 3-0, 4-0 or even worse. We seemed to lose the plot completely, and with only ten minutes to go there really wasn't enough time to come back. I was very glad to hear the final whistle. There was no trouble after the game (that we saw, anyway), and a friendly ticket inspector even let us catch an earlier train back to London.
Strangely, the mood on the journey back was quite good. Gillingham and Walsall had apparently both lost, which was excellent news. And after all, Burnley had put in a good performance, and only an inspired substitution and a refereeing blunder had robbed us of a point. Yes, I'll be keeping the faulty logic going - at least until the end of the season.
Burnley: Jensen, Roche, May, Branch, McGregor, Camara, Little, Grant (Johnrose, 70), Chadwick, Chaplow, Blake.
Subs not used: Adebola, Alan Moore, Abbey, Pilkington.
Scorers: (Cardiff) Langley 78 (pen), Campbell 80.
Referee: M J Jones (Chester).
Attendance: 13,525.
Pauline's Man of the Match: Mark McGregor, guilty or not.
As with all articles on the site, the views expressed in the match reports section are those of the individual contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Burnley FC London Supporters' Club.
