Here we go again
Millwall 2 Burnley 0
Report by Patrick O'Neill
I freely admit that I hate Millwall. Not only do they have an arrogant Chairman, some repulsive fans and an obnoxious manager, but they've now taken four points off us in the League this season and knocked us out of the Cup to boot.
The midweek effort at Reading seemed to count for nothing. We had a few chances, but Lions keeper Andy Marshall had a good game and we just couldn't break through.
Weller and Grant were both suspended for this game, and we probably missed Grant at least. Chaplow had picked up an injury at Reading, so Bradley Orr and Neil Wood started in central midfield, with Alan Moore on the left and Little on the right.
For Millwall, I was pleased to note that Dichio (whose header had won the FA Cup 5th Round game against us only two weeks earlier) was suspended. Unfortunately, Dennis ‘I'm just a lovable Cockney chappie’ Wise was playing.
The Clarets started well, with both Moores making good runs, and I thought that we looked on to score first. However, we were behind after twelve minutes - against the run of play - when Paul Ifill got through our defence and scored. Just to spin out the agony, the ball took ages to reach the net. The goal looked suspiciously offside to me, but unfortunately not to the linesman or referee. Ifill always seems to play well against us, so I suppose it was fate that he would score. (Wasn't Andy Cooke the same against them?) He's a quality player, and I've often been surprised that he's stayed at Millwall for so long, but I detest his repeated diving. I don't recall him doing quite so much of it in seasons past - perhaps the Dennis Wise factor has some bearing on it?
The goal seemed to give Millwall more confidence, and it took a really good save from The Beast to stop Cahill making it 2-0 inside twenty minutes. We managed to hold on until half time - and indeed could have equalised on the half hour mark, but Alan Moore failed to find the back of the net. The ref (no, not Dennis Wise - the real ref) was starting to get on my nerves, too. Millwall are a physical side, but Mr Butler seemed only to see Burnley transgressions. Still, we got to half time with only one booking, for Lee Roche.
I was hopeful that we'd get something in the second half, but (despite a good effort from Camara) we didn't really threaten enough. Millwall soon scored their second, Ifill playing the ball in for another career Lion, Peter Sweeney, to blast home. The Beast stood no chance.
I knew then that there was no way we'd come back. Without Jensen, we could even have gone further behind. All that was left for Burnley was some more bookings. Little, Camara and Branch (who had replaced Alan Moore shortly after Millwall's second goal) all received the attention of Mr Butler. Little, whose booking had seemingly been for nothing, then had to be taken off before he got sent off. You could tell that he was on the verge of losing it.
David May did have a chance towards the end, but he somehow managed to head the ball over. It was one of those days.
After the final whistle, we couldn't wait to get out. Naturally, the police had other ideas. We were told that we'd be kept in ‘for a few minutes’, but it turned out to be considerably longer. Oh well - we're only football fans, not human beings. Actually, on second thoughts, some football ‘fans’ are sub-human, and that includes all the scum who were abusing Camara - both in this game and during the earlier FA Cup tie. What will it take to get the relevant authorities to do something? How come that those in the ground who presumably have some authority - the stewards, the police, the Millwall board - repeatedly refuse to do anything about this disgraceful and despicable behaviour? Conspiracy? Apathy? Whatever, they are just as culpable as the vermin who perpetrate the behaviour in the first place. The whole situation really makes me sick.
As far as the result goes, this was our first League defeat of the year, so hopefully it will just be a minor blip. Our lack of a target man is really obvious, though, and our midfield lacked steel today - Wood turned in a reasonable performance, but Orr was virtually anonymous. Still, at least we don't have to visit this shithole again for a while.
Burnley: Jensen, Roche (West, 83), McGregor, May, Camara, Little (Chadwick, 72), Orr, Wood, Alan Moore (Branch, 54), Blake, Ian Moore.
Subs not used: Rachubka.
Scorers: (Millwall) Ifill 12, Sweeney 52.
Referee: A N Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield - or Sarf Bermondsey, perhaps?).
Attendance: 10,148.
Paddy's Man of the Match: To follow.
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.
