Robbie's goal earns draw

Brian Jensen warming up before the game

The goal came late in the game from the club's latest signing Robbie Blake who crowned his move back from League One Leeds with a chip that found a deflection before crossing the line to give the Clarets a more than deserved draw.

Robbie Blake - scored the late equaliser

Blake had been given a warm welcome by the Burnley dominated crowd before the game and he was the best player out on the pitch over the game. His control and touch were excellent and his passing was incredibly good on a pitch that was, to put it mildly, a complete mess. It was green and had grass on it and that's the best I can say, I'm not sure it has even had its first summer cut yet, the grass was so long making it almost impossible at times to pass the ball about.

Accrington should have scored in the first couple of minutes and had they done so the whole credit would have gone to the assistant referee who looked perplexed as the Burnley players approached him after he let a blatant offside go. It was probably the only poor decision by the officials during the afternoon.

They did take the lead shortly after that after Jon Harley got caught out. Gabor Kiraly saved well with the first effort but could do little to prevent them from opening the scoring. A goal down, but we responded well and did have chances to equalise. Alan Mahon headed just wide, Ade Akinbiyi failed to get anything on a shot following a good ball into the box.

We looked dangerous with a couple of free kicks, on in particular when Mahon slipped the ball to Blake whose low cross led to a scramble in the six yard box before they were able to hack the ball clear.

Without the injured Wayne Thomas and Joey Gudjonsson, there were further problems for the Clarets when Chris McCann was forced off with what looked like an ankle injury and his replacement James O'Connor came closest to getting our first goal from yet another free kick, hitting an early shot that appeared to rebound off the post.

Besart Berisha - second half substitute

We were still behind at half time and Steve Cotterill rung the changes. On came Brian Jensen, Andy Gray, Kyle Lafferty and Besart Berisha for his first game in Burnley colours. With more changes during the second half, including the introduction of trialist left back Abdilla Kanara, it did become scrappy at times.

Burnley were still the better side but we just couldn't get that elusive goal. We made positional changes and then we sent back some of the players who had started the game, including Blake and it was he who netted that goal to earn us a draw.

There was an unpleasant incident in the closing stages. With play stopped Ade pushed one of the Accrington players in the back. Down he went as if he'd been hit by the World Heavyweight Champion but worst still, this cheating excuse for a footballer went down clutching his face.

Clever man, well not quite because assistant referee Neil Yates had clocked the whole thing and when referee Neil Swarbrick consulted him it was the Accrington player who got the talking to.

Thankfully though it was Robbie's goal everyone was talking about as we left the ground, and now it is on to Wrexham on Tuesday.

Burnley: Gabor Kiraly (Brian Jensen 45), Stephen Foster (Alan Mahon 77), Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Jon Harley (Abdilla Kanara 70), Wade Elliott (Ade Akinbiyi 85), Jon Spicer (Robbie Blake 77), Chris McCann (James O'Connor 21), Alan Mahon (Besart Berisha 45), Ade Akinbiyi (Kyle Lafferty 45), Robbie Blake (Andy Gray 45). Sub not used: Jay Rodriguez.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Preston).

Attendance: 3,225.