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After wins against Chelsea and QPR last month we then returned only one point from games against Doncaster and Barnsley. A month on and wins against Southampton and Bristol City were followed by games against these two again.
Looking for a better return we suffered another defeat against Barnsley in the Boxing Day game so will now be looking very much to get back to winning ways in what will be our last league game until 10th January.
Before the home game against them we reported that their biggest problem this season had been the inability to score goals, and not once had they scored more than one in a game.
That continued with a 0-0 draw at the Turf and prior to Boxing Day they had played another five games, scoring one goal on three occasions and failing to score on the other two.
Then, amazingly they finally broke that one goal barrier and with some style with a 4-2 win at Nottingham Forest. It wasn't quite enough to lift them above Forest but they are level on points now and only a point behind Southampton.
They'll prove to be tough opposition at the Keepmoat, boosted by that win, and the four goals.
With this game coming just two days after the last games it is difficult to get any team information. But Doncaster have confirmed that they have no injury problems and so the likelihood is they will name the side that won at Forest.
If that's the case they will line up: Neil Sullivan, James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Sam Hird, James Chambers, John Spicer, Richie Wellens, Brian Stock, Martin Woods, Paul Heffernan, Lewis Guy. Subs: Gareth Roberts, Mark Wilson, James Coppinger, Gareth Taylor, Adam Lockwood.
Following the defeat to Barnsley there could be changes in the Burnley line up although again there has been no indication as to what they might be. Kevin McDonald could well come back into the side and I suspect we might see Graham Alexander back at right back with Michael Duff moving into the centre.
Stephen Jordan is available before starting his one match ban and the team could be: Brian Jensen, Graham Alexander, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Kevin McDonald, Chris McCann, Chris Eagles, Robbie Blake, Martin Paterson. Subs from: Diego Penny, Clarke Carlisle, Joey Gudjonsson, Alan Mahon, Ade Akinbiyi, Alex MacDonald, Steven Thompson.
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'Sunny Donny' it was referred to in the 'Burnley are Back' video and the Clarets ran out easy winners by a 4-1 scoreline.
We had two debutants that day. Goalkeeper Andy Marriott had arrived on loan from Nottingham Forest and replaced Chris Pearce in goal, whilst in midfield Mark Yates came in after signing from Birmingham. Yates proved to be Frank Casper's last signing for Burnley.
Mike Conroy had scored in the previous league games against Rotherham and Aldershot and the first leg of the League Cup tie at Wigan, and he was on the mark here as early as the first minute, converting a penalty.
But Doncaster were level by half time and it was in the second half the Clarets wrapped up the points. They did it against ten men with Billy Whitehurst sent off and it was Steve Harper who restored the lead with just seventeen minutes to go.
Four minutes later new boy Yates added a third with what was his only goal for the Clarets (if you discount one in a pre-season friendly at Accrington thirteen years later).
Conroy got his second and Burnley's fourth with just five minutes to go to record what proved to be our biggest away win of the season.
We returned later in the season for an FA Cup replay. On that occasion we won 3-1 with goals from Steve Harper(2) and Roger Eli.
The teams for the league game were;
Doncaster: Paul Crichton, Mark Rankine, Dylan Kerr, Craig Bennett, Brendan Ormsby, Jack Ashurst, Jon Cullen (Tommy Tynan), Eddie Gormley, John Muir, Billy Whitehurst, Kevin Noteman.
Burnley: Andy Marriott, Paul France (David Hamilton), Ian Bray (Steve Harper), Steve Davis, John Pender, Mark Monington, Mark Yates, John Deary, John Francis, Mike Conroy, Roger Eli.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1989/90 | 4 | a | 3-2 | 2,900 | White(p) SP Davis Jakub |
. | . | h | 0-1 | 5,066 | . |
1990/91 | 4 | a | 1-2 | 3,080 | Deary |
| . | . | h | 1-0 | 10,410 | Futcher |
1991/92 | 4 | a | 4-1 | 2,940 | Conroy(2 1p) Harper Yates |
. | FA | h | 1-1 | 7,076 | SM Davis |
. | AG | h | 2-0 | 2,590 | Francis Eli |
. | FA | a | 3-1 | 4,207 | Harper(2) Eli |
. | 4 | h | 2-1 | 9,605 | Conroy Eli |
2008/09 | C | h | 0-0 | 12,173 | . |