Summer workout
Acrrington Stanley 0 Burnley Reserves 1,
Thursday 29 July, Crown Ground, Accrington
Phil Whalley
A good pre-season workout for both sides, with Burnley ending Stanley’s
four-match unbeaten pre-season run. But Th’owd Reds couldn’t complain about the
result tonight. Their manager, John Coleman, speaking after the game, was critical of his
forwards for their inability to carve out serious chances - a weakness that he admitted
has been a problem throughout the pre-season. However, despite a lack of bite upfront,
Stanley made the young Clarets work hard for their win. Games like these are always
fascinating, as young amateurs seek to bring down their professional contemporaries.
Tonight was no exception. Youngsters like Robbie Williams, Jon Smith and Paul Lynch (who
was linked last season with Chester City) gave the Clarets a good run for their money.
At the back for Burnley, John Williamson, Chris
Scott and Matty Heywood generally dealt well with the physical challenge of Paul Heavey,
Mark Ceraolo and Coleman himself. In midfield, proven talents like Paul Weller and Brad
Maylett were forced to battle hard against the likes of Jay Flannery and John Newman.
Stanley, however, tended only to pose a threat from set pieces, where the height of Jon
Smith caused Heywood no end of problems.
After a quiet opening in front of a large crowd of travelling Clarets, it was Burnley who
made the first opening, with triallist Shaw heading straight at Speare after an accurate
cross from Kelly. Stanley came back and in the eighth minute nearly took the lead when an
excellent 20-yard effort from John Newman was scrambled clear by Mawson. Moments later,
Brennan found himself in a possible shooting position, but he chose to cross and won a
corner upon which Stanley failed to capitalise. Burnley then began to exert more sustained
pressure.
On 12 minutes, Kelly shot wide when in a dangerous position, and three minutes later
Shandran made a hash of his shot when clean through. An equally poor miss came on 25
minutes, when triallist Kenny missed with a free header at the back post with the Stanley
goal unguarded. But amidst the Burnley pressure, Stanley did manage a couple of breaks. A
superb ball from Jay Flannery nearly put Brennan clean through the Clarets’ defence,
and then Stanley came up with the best move of the half. Brennan fed Carragher, who
crossed for the incoming Coleman, the Stanley player-manager's header being marginally too
close to Mawson. By this time, everyone in the Crown had welcomed Paul Weller back into
competitive football, Savage making way for the midfielder now hopefully fully recovered
from a very serious stomach condition.
On 27 minutes, Burnley scored the decisive goal, created from a sublime piece of work by
Shaw, who won the ball and laid off a defence-splitting pass which left Shandran on a
one-to-one with Speare. The speedy Burnley forward beat the Stanley keeper to the ball and
was left with a simple tap-in. Arguably, it could be said that Speare was slow to see the
danger from Shaw's through-ball, but this move demonstrated the superior pace and skill
that one would expect from young professionals. Burnley continued to carve out chances for
the rest of the half, though Mawson gave the Burnley fans a fright when he dropped a
corner under pressure.
On the half hour, Shandran embarked on a powerful run into the Stanley box, but his weak
shot was easily saved. Shortly after this, Maylett sprayed a beautiful cross-field ball to
Kenny on the right. His cross eventually fell to Weller on the edge of the box, but he
sliced his shot wide. Burnley were keeping possession with some ease at this point, with
Shandran in particular shining with his non-stop running off the ball. It was this kind of
hard work that won the Burnley forward a free-kick in the sort of position that would have
Glen Little drooling, but no-one in the ranks of the second XI could capitalise. In the
40th minute, Stanley nearly found a way through, but Heavey was pulled up by a very late
offside decision, after a neat through ball from Brennan.
The last minutes of the half were dominated by Burnley. Shandran sprung the offside trap
but was forced wide, and then a superb move down the Stanley left culminated in a cross
that just eluded the Burnley No.9. On the stroke of half-time, Maylett again found
Shandran, with the latter peeling off his marker and finding space with ease. Definitely
Burnley's half with good running off the ball, especially from Shandran. If Burnley's
final ball into the box had been more accurate, they would surely have increased their
lead. Stanley were getting very little change from the Heywood/Williamson partnership at
the heart of the Burnley defence.
The second-half began with Shaw's replacement by the towering presence of Earl Davies, but
the increase in height and physical presence did not compensate for the industry and
movement of Shaw, and Burnley struggled to create the same kinds of openings that they had
done with ease in the first period. A quiet opening to the half saw Stanley gradually
force their way back into the game. On 55 minutes, Heavey beat Heywood down the right and
sent over an excellent first-time cross, but no Stanley player had managed to get into the
area.
On the hour, after a couple of Stanley substitutions, Williamson met a corner but could
only head over the bar. The Reds had brought on Mark Ceraolo for John Coleman, and it was
Ceraolo who made a real impact with a strong run into the box after a superb through ball
from Brennan. On 64 minutes, Ceraolo nearly fought his way clear again, but Burnley
regained possession and Shandran fed Kelly, whose shot was well saved by Speare. The
Stanley keeper's opposite number, Mawson, then earned his corn with a good save from a
fierce Flannery drive.
The game momentarily threatened to turn ugly when a crude challenge from Hollis brought a
reaction from Scott. Fists appeared to fly and under normal match conditions both Scott
and Hollis would probably have walked, but he let both off with a verbal warning. On 73
minutes, Ceraolo broke down the left at speed, but his cross failed to find a Stanley
boot. Burnley were then awarded a penalty. Sub Mark Howard was adjudged to have brought
down Paxton. Kelly stepped up, but his kick was slightly too close to Speare, and the
Stanley keeper pulled off a great save, diving to his left.
With a number of substitutes now on, the game lost its fluency in the closing stages. In
the 85th minute, Shandran was flagged on when he was put through in what looked like an
offside position, but this time Speare was off the mark quickly and he advanced from his
area to clear the danger. A minute later, Paul Lynch, on for John Newman, put Ceraolo
through with a well-judged through-ball. The Stanley forward was unlucky to see his effort
rebound off the keeper and then off him, the ball looping high over the bar. This turned
out to be Stanley's last chance, and they went down unable to find a way through the
Burnley defence.
Encouraging performances from Shandran and Shaw.
The former should be a reserve team regular this season and looks a good prospect, having
both speed and physique on his side. The latter had a quietly impressive game, always
finding space with his runs and demonstrating accuracy with his passing. He looks another
good prospect, who should be signed and nurtured along in the time-honoured way.
If the Burnley youth system tends to produce
skilful waifs like Weller, Carr-Lawton and Paul Smith, it was good to see the physical
presence of the likes of Heywood, Scott and Williamson at the back. The defence generally
looked OK, though the beanpole Stanley centre-half Jon Smith frequently out-jumped them
all. But it can only bode well for the future if the likes of Scott and Heywood can forge
a good working relationship at the heart of defence. With the likes of Swan and Thomas
approaching the end of their careers (with the former seeming to be particularly
susceptible to injury), it may not be too long before this younger generation, like
Overson, Laws, Wharton and Phelan in the past, make up a home grown rearguard to be proud
of.
Team: Mawson,
Savage, Devanney, Scott, Williamson, Heywood, Maylett, Kelly, Shandran, Shaw, Kenny.
