We can play a lot better than that

Last updated : 24 September 2003 By Tony Scholes

Former Claret Laws had been hit badly with injuries before the game but was still able to name a full bench of five substitutes. Burnley had four but with no reserve game this week there were plenty of candidates for that fifth shirt including Paul Scott who was on the bench in the early season games. Very mysterious.

Despite the defeat Laws was upbeat after the game. "I’m as proud as punch with the players," beamed Laws. "We could really have done without this game with the injuries and illness we have.

"They haven’t carved us open, Matt Sparrow who has had a fantastic game tonight, slipped in the box and gave them their first goal. The second, two players got in each others way and the third goal has gone under Terry Barwick’s foot and other than that he had a very good game.

"I’m sure Stan Ternent will have been biting his nails because we certainly put them under some pressure.

"When you get to 1-1 as we did then you have to hold that until half time and with us attacking our end in the second half you would have then fancied our chances. We came close though and Steve Torpey had an effort cleared off the line early in the second half and I don’t know where their lad came from but he got back to clear off the line.

"We are two divisions apart but I would not have thought that on the night because we gave a good account of ourselves."

Last time we played a cup tie at Glanford Park Stan turned on the Burnley fans big style, this time it was the turn of Laws who added,

"I wish our supporters would not start to boo when I change the team, they don’t know the facts and they don’t realise that Steve MacLean has been on the treatment table all week. I didn’t want to risk losing him when we were 3-1 down."

Stan was delighted and relieved to go through and said "I’m delighted to have won the game and progressed into the next round but I felt we made hard work of it in the second half. Nevertheless we won the game and now I want a home draw in the next round.

"We knew it would be difficult here, we’ve played Scunthorpe numerous times in the last few years and they made it tough for us. I was a bit disappointed with their second goal though but the free kick was on Brian’s side.

"We won though but we can play a lot better than that and that is credit to Scunthorpe, because they had a good go at us in the second half and put us under a bit of pressure."