We descended on Hillsborough full of confidence. We had four of our six new signings in the side and, in particular, Dutch midfielder Remco van der Schaaf had been built up as the potential key signing.
It didn't quite work out. Marcus Tudgay scored in the very first minute and with just four minutes on the clock we were 2-0 down. We did pull one back immediately through Martin Paterson but went on to lose 4-1.
Some have said we are now looking for revenge for that game, but there's still another score to settle in that we haven't beaten Sheffield Wednesday at the Turf since 2000 and we still haven't got our revenge for the farcical 7-2 defeat in April 2003.
Despite that opening day defeat we do go into the game ahead of them. Whilst we sit just behind the play offs in eighth place, Wednesday are four places below us with seven points less.
Having won that opening game Wednesday failed to win any of the next four and won only one of the next seven.
They looked to be a club on the up with a takeover looking imminent back in August, but it hasn't materialised and they have been in the mid-table area for much of the season with good spells and not so good spells. They did however complete the double over Sheffield United for the first time in a long time and that is ample compensation.
The come to the Turf after returning to winning ways last week with a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace, and they would have enjoyed that too with Blades fan Neil Warnock in charge of the opposition.
They also bring to Turf Moor their manager Brian Laws who has a superb record as a manager against us on his old ground with all of his clubs Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Wednesday.
They're closer to the play offs than the relegation places but they are not likely to make either come the end of the season and will probably finish somewhere close to the middle of the table.
Although midfielder Steve Watson has been ruled out for the season, there's good news for Brian Laws who has some real selection headaches ahead of the game. Richard Hinds and Frankie Simec have both returned from long term injuries in the last two weeks. To add to that Lewis Buxton is available again after suspension and Richard Wood could return following a knee injury.
To add to that Akpo Sodje has come through reserve games. He was ruled out for over two months after getting injured in the opening day game against the Clarets and after three more games has been out since.
Wednesday could line up: Lee Grant, Lewis Buxton, Mark Beevers, Richard Hinds, Tommy Spurr, Jermaine Johnson, James O'Connor, Darren Potter, Michael Gray, Francis Jeffers, Marcus Tudgay. Subs from: Richard O'Donnell, Frankie Simec, Luke Boden, Sean McAllister, Wade Small, Richard Wood, Leon Clarke.
Owen Coyle has no injury problems and will select from a full strength squad but whether he makes any changes to the side that drew at Norwich remains to be seen. Chris Eagles is improving following his chest infection and he'll certainly be included in the squad tomorrow.
It could well be the same team and subs again, if so the team will be: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Steven Thompson, Martin Paterson. Subs: Diego Penny, Joey Gudjonsson, Kevin McDonald, Chris Eagles, Jay Rodriguez.
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He went into the game without Alan Mahon through injury and with all of Joey Gudjonsson, Chris McCann and John Spicer suspended. To add to that Michael Duff and Bes Berisha were long term absentees with Andy Gray also ruled out having had stitches in an ankle injury. We basically had sixteen players available to fill the team and the bench.
We'd been the better side for the first half hour without really troubling Wednesday and at the other end Gabor Kiraly had been virtually redundant. Then he became the central figure as Wednesday took the lead.
A Sheffield Wednesday player went down in the box but the well placed referee Scott Mathieson waved the claims for a spot kick away. Unfortunately the less well placed assistant flagged and the referee gave the kick.
The kick was delayed because the ball hadn't been placed correctly on the penalty spot. Mathieson went up to sort that out and whilst we was on his way back, not even looking, they took the kick with Gabor unprepared. Incredibly, and nonsensically, he gave the goal.
The wound up Clarets took out their anger at the decision in the best way possible. We got the ball down the left for Kyle Lafferty who crossed. It reached Wade Elliott beyond the far post and he headed it back across. Goalkeeper Grant parried it but Ade Akinbiyi did well to bring it down from an awkward height and hammer it home.
The game had come to life but quickly returned to a game with little incident. I don't think Wednesday ever troubled us again and despite having most of the play we struggled to create anything clear cut.
James O'Connor, now with Wednesday of course, starred in his first home start of the season, but we had to settle for a point and Owen Coyle's wait for a home win continued.
The teams were;
Burnley: Gabor Kiraly, Graham Alexander, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, David Unsworth, Wade Elliott, James O'Connor, Jon Harley, Kyle Lafferty, Ade Akinbiyi (Steve Jones 76), Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Stephen Jordan, Garreth O'Connor, Jay Rodriguez.
Sheffield Wednesday: Lee Grant, Lee Bullen, Richard Hinds, Mark Beevers, Tommy Spurr, Burton O'Brien, Glenn Whelan, Steve Watson (Etienne Esajas 82), Wade Small (Yoan Folly 43), Marcus Tudgay, Deon Burton (Luke Boden 72). Subs not used: Peter Gilbert, Kenny Lunt.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2000/01 | 1 | h | 1-0 | 16,372 | Davis |
. | . | a | 0-2 | 20,184 | . |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 2-0 | 21,766 | Taylor Cook(pen) |
. | . | h | 1-2 | 16,081 | Taylor(pen) |
2002/03 | 1 | a | 3-1 | 17,004 | Taylor Little I Moore |
. | . | h | 2-7 | 17,435 | Blake(2 1pen) |
2005/06 | C | h | 1-2 | 14,607 | G O'Connor(pen) |
. | . | a | 0-0 | 24,485 | . |
2006/07 | C | a | 1-1 | 22,425 | J O'Connor |
. | . | h | 1-1 | 12,745 | Elliott |
2007/08 | C | a | 2-0 | 18,359 | Blake McCann |
. | . | h | 1-1 | 15,326 | Akinbiyi |
2008/09 | C | a | 1-4 | 23,793 | Paterson |