Clean sheet!
Chesterfield 0 Stan Ternent's Burnley 0 - Burnley won 3-2 on penalties
Report by Hego
Who says we need a centre half? Well, we do, not unsurprisingly! This remark qualifies for an early season award for the statement of the most bleeding obvious. Despite the fact that we did manage a clean sheet after 120 minutes of normal football time, the performances of Branch and Arthur were fairly dreadful. It was enough to have made St Francis of Assisi (patron saint of dumb animals) question his true vocation!
Being goal-side of an attacking player I still rate as a fairly basic requirement for a centre half, as is keeping an eye on the ball when attempting aerial challenges. Both of these requirements Mr May (ex B****rd) hopefully will exhibit great proficiency in during the next 50 or so Claret matches this season. We need a competent, experienced, hard centre half desperately.
Chesterfield had a centre half of some notoriety for the first ten minutes, prior to being carried off. Mr Blatherwick (the tent peg Howey’s old partner in crime), no less, is still playing second division football, and didn't score against us in that short period he was on the field. It could have been a little embarrassing for Stan if he had. The itinerant David Reeves - also of ex Claret fame - was on the team sheet, but looked half the player he was at twice the size I remember him.
The Clarets had all the available 15 players on call, as we are still casting around for someone to take the Ternent shilling (value £2,000 per week according to the FT currency exchange). No surprises in the team selection from Saturday, then, apart from the hated Grant for the youthful Chaplow. It is rumoured that if Grant doesn't put in a half respectable performance before the end of his contract, he is required in recompense to undertake a period of community service, preferably in North Korea. Pyongyang it is then! Glen Little was given a free role to roam around in order to earn his six shillings a week, sparking Blake and Chadwick into action.
Having followed directions via the Stygian crossing to the Crooked Spire, the prospect of standing on the terraces on a warm balmy evening beckoned. Not a particularly appealing spot, with all the charm of an abattoir, and thirteen quid entrance fee for the privilege. The first half started fairly lively, but with the exception of the odd Chadwick break, a Glen header and a snap shot from Alan Moore, little of note happened. Roy McFarland’s side is the bookie’s favourite to be relegated this year, and you can see why. Both of the new Claret wingbacks were obviously told to play fullback in this game, and Mr Roche never looked likely to add to his goal tally. The real disappointment however was Little’s stupid booking when the one thing we need least of all this season is a player suspension.
The post-Bovril half was very different, and how Mr Scorer was not troubled over the 45 minutes will remain one of life’s minuscule mysteries. Blake, Little and Chadwick carved great holes in the Chesterfield defence, but the ensuing 25 corners in the half and the ensuing pinball produced not a shot or header on goal of note. The absence of the Player of Last Season was well and truly noted, as he would have had a bagful. Both Little (hit post) and Chadwick (chickened out) put through with the keeper to beat did not inconvenience the onion bag, and Grant swapped shots against the bar with his Chesterfield opposite number. Interestingly my notes on the half show five excellent pieces of defending by a Claret player showing pace and positional sense. Against each is the name Lee Roche.
Extra time was a bit boring, except for the missed open goal by Blake (of all people). Chesterfield also had a good effort collected ably by the very solid Jensen. The inevitable penalties went very much the Clarets' way, with the successes from the spot of Weller, West and Glen Little proving far too much for the Spireites. The end, a well deserved away win and only 160 miles from home.
Thought for the day: if you are going to borrow money make sure you do so from a pessimist, as they don’t expect to get it back.
Team
(4-4-1-1): Jensen, Roche, Branch (West,
118), Gnohere, Camara, Weller, Chadwick, Grant, Alan
Moore (Chaplow, 99), Little, Blake.
Subs not used: Scott, O’Neill, Mr Nobody.
Scorers (penalties): (Chesterfield) Brandon, Payne / (Burnley) Weller, West, Little.
Referee: Paul Robinson (East Yorkshire).
Attendance: A very muted 2,928.
Hego's men of the match: Roche (normal time), Jensen (penalties).
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.
