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We travel to Norwich on a run of four league games without defeat, but still looking for our first win on the road since the 2-1 defeat of Bristol City on the Saturday before Christmas.
The draw against Coventry has edged us within one place of the top six, and a win would surely give us a good chance of getting back in there. A win would also take us to 54 points and that would surely be no more than 20 away from what's needed if we are to secure our first ever play off spot at this level.
Norwich aren't having the best of times and dropped into the bottom three this week. Since our last meeting the Sinister One and his staff have moved on. Bryan Gunn has taken over as manager and he's surrounded himself with former Norwich players such as Ian Butterworth, John Deehan and our former goalkeeper Paul Crichton.
They last won five weeks ago and since then they've had three draws and two defeats. Those two losses have come against play off chasers Bristol City and Preston and both have been somewhat undeserved.
Manager Gunn said tonight that the only objective is to stay up, and I think they will do that. But we don't want them to start picking up the necessary points in this game.
Gunn will be without full back Adam Drury but could welcome midfielder Sammy Clingan back after injury along with defender Ryan Bertrand. Clingan is an important player for them and should come straight back in for either Mark Fotheringham or Darel Russell.
They could line up: David Marshall, Jon Otsemobor, Gary Doherty, Jason Shackell, Jonathan Grounds, Lee Croft, Sammy Clingan, Darel Russell, Wes Hoolahan, Carl Cort, Alan Gow. Subs from: Stuart Nelson, Adrian Leijer, Mark Fotheringham, David Carney, Jamie Cureton, Chris Killen, Matty Pattison, Ryan Bertrand.
Owen Coyle appears to have all the players available who were in the squad on Tuesday. Christian Kalvenes remains doubtful but there's good news on Chris Eagles who is getting closer to full fitness following his chest infection.
It could well be the same side that played in the Coventry game and that is: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Steven Thompson, Martin Paterson. Subs: Diego Penny, Joey Gudjonsson, Kevin McDonald, Chris Eagles, Jay Rodriguez.
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The game was only just over a minute old when we presented them with the first goal, whilst the second came late in the game, but there was precious little from Burnley in between that suggested we could have got anything.
I'm not sure anyone knew what Jon Harley was doing at the start, but it presented them with that first goal scored by Dion Dublin and by midway through the half we could have been a lot further behind. Thankfully they weren't the best in front of goal and it remained at one.
We did get into the game and created two decent chances, but Kyle Lafferty playing down the middle missed both, putting one wide and not even getting a shot in with the other.
In the second half the Northern Ireland international had the best chance of the afternoon as he raced clear, but his shot was too close to keeper Marshall and our best chance of equalising had gone.
Norwich made the most of it with a late second from Ched Evans but not even the most partisan of Burnley fans could have denied them the points.
The teams were;
Norwich: David Marshall, Jon Otsemobor, Jason Shackell, Alex Pearce, Ryan Bertrand, Darren Huckerby, Mark Fotheringham, Darel Russell, Matty Pattison, Dion Dublin (Gary Doherty 89), Jamie Cureton (Ched Evans 66). Subs not used: Mo Camara, Kieran Gibbs, Lee Croft.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Graham Alexander, Steven Caldwell, David Unsworth, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, James O'Connor, Joey Gudjonsson (Alan Mahon 69), Chris McCann (Andrew Cole 58), Robbie Blake (Ade Akinbiyi 77), Kyle Lafferty. Subs not used: Gabor Kiraly, Mark Randall.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2000/01 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 15,017 | Payton Davis |
| . | . | a | 3-2 | 17,507 | Ball Taylor Moore |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 1-2 | 19,849 | Armstrong |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 14,679 | Taylor |
2002/03 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 16,282 | McGregor Little |
. | . | a | 0-2 | 20,026 | . |
2003/04 | 1 | a | 0-2 | 16,407 | . |
| . | . | h | 3-5 | 12,417 | Wood May Blake |
2005/06 | C | a | 1-2 | 25,204 | Safri(og) |
| . | . | h | 2-0 | 11,938 | Gray Branch |
2006/07 | C | a | 4-1 | 24,717 | J O'Connor Gray(2) Mahon |
| . | . | h | 3-0 | 9,681 | Akinbiyi Gray Elliott |
2007/08 | C | h | 2-1 | 10,133 | Blake Gray(pen) |
. | . | a | 0-2 | 24,049 | . |
2008/09 | C | h | 2-0 | 11,353 | Eagles(2) |