Back home
Burnley 2 Chesterfield 1, 14 August
1999
Jo Tomlinson
Heavy rain and ominous looking clouds surrounded Turf Moor today prior to kick
off. Chesterfield had brought a pitiful crowd off about ten (well, maybe not ten, but you
get my drift). As I took my seat in my season ticket spot, I felt happy to be back,
surrounded by the old faces of those who also occupy season tickets near us. The old man
who sits next to Andrew was there, despite saying to us at the end of last season that he
wasn't renewing his ticket again. We never really had any doubt; the Burnley faithful
remain faithful.
The heavy downpour that we had walked to the
ground in subsided and at kick off the rain held off. The Clarets lined up: Crichton (has
he put weight on?) West, Davis, Armstrong, Thomas, Cowan, Mellon, Johnrose, Cook, Payton,
Lee. Perhaps a strange starting line up.
After a dreadful initial phase, it soon became
apparent that we were lacking width. There were no wingers on the field at all and the
width was definitely missing as the ball was shoved about unimaginatively up and down in
the middle of the field. The first bit of the game was dull, dire stuff it has to be said
- we were well and truly back! Chesterfield were no better, and in the early stages one
had the feeling that the game was going to be a typical game against Chesterfield: 0-0.
However, a penalty awarded to Burnley after a
blatant hand-ball changed the game. Payton took the spot and I could hardly bear to look
but he put it away like the true pro he is and the crowd erupted into jubilation. I jumped
up and down in elation (trying to forget that just a few hours previously I had been wired
up to an ECG machine in Burnley General!). 1-0.
Within minutes Lenny Johnrose, who was having a
good game, neatly put the ball in the back of the net, and suddenly more jubilation. It
was Burnley 2 Chesterfield 0. Suddenly we had the feeling that we were going to win this
game comfortably. However, that wasn't the end of the story.
Steve Davis was taken off, and replaced by
Jepson; 'he must be injured' muttered the crowd in unison. Jepson was again fairly solid.
Half time, and it was interesting to see that
the Bob Lord catering extravaganza has acquired a new name: the Adam Blacklaw catering
stand! (I confess here to having to ask my friend Jack who Adam Blacklaw was - a bit
before my time.) Hmmmmmmm... first home match of the season and I go up to the said
catering outlet and order "a tea please." "Sorry, no tea luv." Yep,
it's good to be back! However, and it is a big however, for the first time ever, trumpet
sounds, we have JACKET POTATOES! Oh yes indeedy. Still no pizzas... but we're getting
there!
The second half started and Lee made a
spectacular bundled miss at an opportunity where he had loads of space and time. I think
we'll put that one down to inexperience. Shortly afterwards, he was replaced by Cooke, who
I felt looked as committed as ever.
Before long the ref, for some reason, awarded a
penalty to Chesterfield. I genuinely didn't see the assumed shirt pulling incident, nor it
seems did many others, but it will be interesting to see replays. David Reeves took the
spot and you just knew he'd score; he always does score against Burnley, and if he hadn't
had a penalty he would've scored somehow. The ball went confidently into the back of the
net, and Mellon got a yellow card for too much protestation.
Then came the strangest decision of the day:
Stan decided to make a substitution. As Glen Little warmed up, I thought, great, just what
we need, some width and some crosses in. I fully expected Stan to take off Mellon or Cook;
Mellon was having his average 'jogging, nothing spectacular, did I really want to come to
Burnley in the first place?' kind of game, and although Cook was doing ok, he could've
easily been replaced with no questions asked. But weirdly, very weirdly, Stan took off
Payton. WHY? The fans booed in unison and chants of 'Andy, Andy Payton' filled the air as
the ominous clouds gathered once more over Turf Moor (ok, some poetic license there
maybe). Why oh why did he take Payton off? That left us stranded with one up front again.
ONE UP FRONT at home in a game which Chesterfield started to get back into. It seemed very
weird to me.
Suddenly our dead cert three points were not
dead cert. It was game on and the fans were left biting their nails in an exciting end to
the game, which one assumes could have been avoided if Stan had thought more about his
substitutions (I'm very interested in his thinking here - don't understand it at all).
We got to the end of the game, which had on
balance been quite exciting. Mitchell Thomas got the man of the match again. (This is
getting a little dull; he's had it three times on the trot now!). Some ok performances,
but in my view, the game lacked width and the tactics were questionable. I cannot concede
that one up-front is acceptable.
However, three points in the bag and the
psychological defeat of 5-0 put to bed (?). I hope that we can carry on next week with a
win at Oldham. One thing's for sure though, we need to be more of an attacking force
consistently throughout the game. The defence didn't look too hot to me at times, and a
better side could have penetrated it with ease (as we witnessed on Wednesday night).
Great to be back in my seat again, great to be
back at Turf Moor for a league game. Bring on the Oldham!
Team: Crichton, West, Cowan, Mellon, Davis (Jepson 28),
Thomas, Armstrong, Cook, Lee (Cooke 54), Payton (Little 68), Johnrose. Subs not used: Branch
and Smith.
London Clarets
Man of the Match: (1st) Thomas, (2nd) Johnrose.
Links - Was it a penalty? plus the away match
