Clarets lose two goal lead under that crooked spire

Last updated : 27 July 2015 By Tony Scholes
Juke opened the scoring

I have to say that as much as the Proact Stadium is a new style football ground, going there is infinitely better than a trip to the old Recreation Ground at Saltergate which was not, it is fair to say, one of the better football grounds in the country.

No visit to Chesterfield is complete without checking out the church spire of St. Mary and All Saints. The most logical explanation for the twisted spire is that the wrong wood was used in the completion of its construction after the original craftsman had died, but the more likely story is that it twisted when a virgin was married there and that it will straighten only when another virgin does.

Away from the folklore and our first ever visit to the Proact where the home fans greeted our manager with a superb ovation. A presentation was made to him in recognition of their FA Cup success in 1997 ahead of kick off.

We had Tom Heaton back in goal but, as expected, none of three injured strikers were fit to return.

Not as though it bothered us in the opening quarter of the game during which time we outplayed Chesterfield to the point where they hardly got a kick of the ball.

Lukas Jutkiewicz had already seen an effort deflected onto the bar when he gave us the lead just a few minutes into the game. George Boyd and Fredrik Ulvestad combined to get the ball out to Matt Lowton on the right, and the new signing crossed low for Juke to get to the near post and hit home.

It was all Burnley and it was no surprise when we got a second. This was all down to a great ball from Ulvestad then sent Boyd clear and he took the ball round goalkeeper Tommy Lee and slotted home.

Chesterfield pulled one back very quickly when they were too easily allowed to get a ball in from the right, but it seemed no more than a hiccup as we continued to dominate right through the entire first half.

If we'd eased off a bit just before the break, then we certainly stepped things up again at the start of the second half. But the third goal just didn't come and eventually that, in terms of the result, was to cost us.

Armand Gnanduillet is not a name that rolls off the tongue but he had come on as a substitute and made something of an impact. Out of nowhere he drew the home side level with as spectacular a goal as you are likely to see. His amazing overhead kick flew past Heaton, hit the post and into the net.

Even then, we almost regained the lead immediately with Lee just about managing to keep a ball out but Chesterfield it was who went on to win it. Gnanduillet found Byron Harrison who got the slightest of touches to turn the ball into the goal, leaving Burnley with no time to come back.

Results matter not in pre-season, but conceding seven goals in two games at Accrington and Chesterfield might just be a concern.

We move on to Fleetwood now to face the bigger of the two Fylde Coast teams in League One.

The teams were;

Chesterfield: Tommy Lee, Daniel Jones (Ritchie Humphreys 67), Ian Evatt, Sam Hird (Charlie Raglan 39), Tendayi Darikwa, Dan Gardner (Gboly Ariyibi 50), Ollie Banks (Michael Onovwigun 59), Sam Morsy, Jay O'Shea (Emmanuel Dieseruvwe 67), Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Byron Harrison 62), Jake Orrell (Armand Gnanduillet 50). Sub not used: Danny Cairns.

Burnley: Tom Heaton, Matt Lowton, Michael Duff, Michael Keane, Ben Mee, Michael Kightly (Matt Taylor 72), Fredrik Ulvestad, David Jones, George Boyd, Scott Arfield, Lukas Jutkiewicz (Brad Jackson 85). Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Cameron Dummigan, Luke O'Neill, Tom Anderson, Danny Lafferty, Stephen Ward, Steven Hewitt.

Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).