A few year ago I wouldn't have been surprised to see Accrington on the pre-season schedule, but after they called a couple of scheduled games off it has been a fixture that's been absent since 2009.
That meant the last time we played there in pre-season was, as is the case now, ahead of a Premier League season. On that occasion is was a group of jet lagged players who had returned hours earlier from a trip to America.
A defeat looked very much on the cards as we trailed 2-0 with seven minutes remaining but a deflected Robbie Blake free kick reduced the arrears and changed the game with Steven Thompson equalising when he received a pass from Blake to finish smartly.
Michael Duff had returned from America injured so none of the sixteen players used remain with the club. The starting eleven that day was: Diego Penny, Tyrone Mears, David Edgar, Stephen Jordan, Brian Easton, Chris Eagles, Kevin McDonald, Joey Gudjonsson, Robbie Blake, Steven Fletcher and Steven Thompson.
Richard Eckersley, Clarke Carlisle, Remco van der Schaaf (making a rare appearance), Chris McCann and Jay Rodriguez all came on as substitutes whilst Brian Jensen was an unused sub.
 |
| One of the new signings Lukas Jutkiewicz |
Moving on five years and tomorrow will provide what is expected to be a healthy number of Burnley supporters with a first viewing of some of our new signings. Four of the six featured last week in Austria. Matty Taylor started the game with the Marvin Sordell, Matt Gilks and Lukas Jutkiewicz all being introduced from the bench.
Michael Kightly, now a permanent Claret, and the remaining new signing Steven Reid both missed out although no explanation has been given for Reid's absence.
Latest reports suggest that manager Sean Dyche is hopeful that Kightly will be fit to take part tomorrow along with Tom Heaton, Dean Marney and Luke O'Neill who were all missing last week.
I'm sure, with this just being the second pre-season game, he'll utilise all the squad so I expect there will be a number of substitutions made giving as many players as possible some game time.
The club haven't, as yet, confirmed the squad numbers, but those shown here are the numbers they've worn during pre-season.
We will select from: 1 Tom Heaton, 2 Kieran Trippier, 3 Danny Lafferty, 4 Michael Duff, 5 Jason Shackell, 6 Ben Mee, 7 Ross Wallace, 8 Dean Marney, 10 Danny Ings, 12 Alex Cisak, 14 David Jones, 15 Matty Taylor, 16 Luke O'Neill, 17 Marvin Sordell, 18 Steven Reid, 19 Michael Kightly, 20 Lukas Jutkiewicz, 22 Matt Gilks, 28 Kevin Long, 30 Ashley Barnes, 33 Steven Hewitt, 34 Tom Anderson, 37 Scott Arfield, 38 Cameron Dummigan, 44 Jason Gilchrist.
Our opponents Accrington go into the game having drawn 2-2 with our bigger East Lancs rivals Blackburn in midweek.
Accy boss James Beattie said: "The lads did great against Blackburn, I was really pleased with them. Blackburn brought a strong side for the first 70 minutes and the lads were up for it.
"The main thing was they seemed like they were enjoying it, pitting their wits against quality opposition. That's what I say to them every week before they go out, to make sure they enjoy it.
"For me that was as pleasing as some of the stuff we played, because we played some great stuff."
Piero Mingoia and James Gray were the scorers for Accrington who are expected to name a similar squad for tomorrow's game.
They lined up: Dawber (Turner), Hunt, Aldred, Atkinson, Winnard, Liddle (Beverley), Naismith (Martin), Joyce, Windass (Goulding), Mingoia, Hatfield (Clunan), Gray (Ormerod).
Update: It has now been confirmed that all of Tom Heaton, Steven Reid, Ashley Barnes and Cameron Dummigan will miss the game through injury.