Beeby is back

As always playing against Andy Hessenthaler’s Gillingham we were being kicked all over Turf Moor, and that is reflected in the fact that they picked up six yellow cards, but it was an incident that went unpunished that started all the fun when John McGreal was kicked by the corner flag almost up Brunshaw hill.

Nothing was given and Steve had words with the assistant and fourth official. That finally led to Beeby coming over and sending him off. We could have no complaints over the penalty decision against us, nor the sending off of Micah Hyde for throwing the ball at a Gillingham player but Beeby turned in what could only be described as a weak performance and let the visitors, and in particular John Hills, get away with far too much.

He should have taken charge of our New Year game at Stoke but that appointment was changed and this will be his first Burnley game since that Gillingham game.

He warmed up quite nicely last week with the sending off of the Barnet goalkeeper Ross Flitney in their Carling Cup tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The decision has since been overturned but it cost the young keeper his night out there, the decision coming after just ninety seconds.

The only other player to see Beeby’s red card this season is Doncaster’s Lewis Guy who was sent off in their 2-1 home defeat to Huddersfield and to add to that he’s averaging just about two yellow cards per game with 33 in 16 games. A rush of recent home bookings have started to balance things up but he’s still booked just 13 home players against 20 away players this season.

We can only hope for a performance and a game nothing like the one against Gillingham last season.

The assistant referees will be Andrew Smith (Yorkshire) and Russell Tiffin (Tyne & Wear) and the fourth official will be Kevin Mattocks (Lancashire).

Previous Burnley games: