There is no doubt we need to go shopping

Last updated : 14 April 2008 By Tony Scholes
Things have improved somewhat since Blackwell arrived (or more so since Robson left) and this was their third away win since he took control, the others coming at Plymouth and Barnsley.

"We knew how big this game was for Burnley as well as it was for us," Blackwell said after his side had beaten us 2-1. "They had earmarked it as one they just had to win, but we showed great application and determination and this was a big win for us. To get to the Premiership a team has to show a lot of character, sold defending, great goals etc., and we have shown them all.

"The conditions were just not conducive for good football, with the heavy rain and howling win, and the pitch is certainly not doing Burnley any favours, so we had to scrap for it. If you are drawing a lot of games as we were when I cam in you have to learn to win again, and today showed that we know how to win games."

Having gone in to the half time interval in front Blackwell had concerns. "At half time I was worried that we had become just too comfortable, too early, but we spoke about it, restarted well and got the second goal. To be fair to Owen Coyle, he sent on Ade Akinbiyi and put Lafferty up with Cole and went for it at that point but we weathered the storm."

Speaking on the goals Blackwell continued: "The striker against Sheffield Wednesday was world class but that first goal here was unbelievable because it was further out and hit with even more venom. James Beattie is really loving his football at the moment and is looking so dangerous in the final third of the pitch.

"The second was a good finish too, taking it as he did because he was square on to the cross from Cotterill and couldn't just glance it in. It was a good reward for Billy Sharp who put in a good shift. And I don't think the referee was looking after our strikers very well but we said after the Preston game that this would be the case away from home so it wasn't unexpected."

It was finally the end of the road for Burnley's play off hopes but Owen Coyle believed this was a game where we should have had some points. He said: "I thought we certainly deserved something from the match.

"We had a poor first five minutes and started quite sluggish but then we took charge of the game and had two good opportunities, but obviously went behind to one of the goals of the season. Beattie certainly showed his undoubted class, and that's why he earns vast sums of money. But having said that we felt we got stronger again and had numerous opportunities before half time to get back into the game.

"We were looking for a big start in the second half and we got that. We had a couple of chances prior to Sheffield United scoring again and I am disappointed in the second goal. The first is a 35-yard wonder goal from a free kick and sometimes you can't do anything about that.

"But the second goal should have been defended better. The lad's done well down the wing but I think he got an easy cross in. Sharp scored when he was the only Sheffield United player in the box and we had three or four bodies in there.

"When all said and done they have been clinical and at 2-0 it's not even a mountain, it is whatever's bigger than that to climb. But we carried the fight and scored a very good goal, and then Paddy Kenny had a couple of terrific saves at that point.

"Goals change games, but if you go back and analyse the game we certainly should have got something from it. But we've not and we can't be conceding two goals a game and expect to be churning out three points.

"There's not any doubt that's an area we need to work upon, but we knew that and it will be covered. There is no doubt we need to go shopping in every department because there will be a turnover in the summer."