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The game was all about the charity Football Aid and supporters were able to bid for places in two teams that were captained by former Burnley players Vince Overson and Gerry Harrison both now back at Turf Moor with the community scheme.
It was a game with no real losers as the players were able to live out a dream and the charities supported made some money.
And so to the game,
Gerry Harrison captained the whites, Vince Overson the Clarets. The game kicked off in front of a crowd of about 100 seated in the Bob Lord stand. The away team quickly stamped their authority on the game, attacking the Jimmy Mac stand and on 5 minutes, Andy Hodson put Neil Starkie through on the edge of the area and he neatly went round the keeper to score in the far corner. After 8 minutes, the whites (away team) were two up as Neil Starkie doubled the lead with a fine finish from the left hand side, following a quick break from midfield.
As the rain came down, the pitch got heavier and the older legs began to slow down (it's a big pitch!) Hodson was still trying to control the midfield, but the Clarets excellently marshalled from the back by Overson, started to get into the game. On the half hour, after a scramble in the away teams box, Ian Walsh (in goal for the whites) was beaten with a shot from about 10 yards. This was quickly followed by a second - a corner was whipped in and was brilliantly headed home by veteran Derek Davies. Into the half time interval the teams were locked
at 2-2.
Andy Lochhead, the whites manager gave his team a bit of a dressing down for losing a two goal advantage and were sent back onto the pitch aiming to set the record straight. Neil Starkie quickly put the whites 3-2 ahead with a nice run and finish from just inside the area and the lead was increased on the hour as Starkie again finished a good move getting onto
a cross from Colin Walsh who had proved to be something of a midfield dynamo.
Starkie completed his scoring soon after, notching his fifth of the game and at 5-2 the away team were coasting and it was time for a bit of showboating. Overson who was losing the plot for the home team very nearly got booked for several stiff challenges and arguing with the
ref.
An attack from the left hand side, produced a ball into the edge of the area which Hodson latched onto, got a lucky break off the advancing keeper and then slotted in from the edge of the six yard area. The score was now 6-2 and the foot came right off the pedal, allowing the home team to notch firstly through a tidy goal from Nigel Coates, then a penalty from
Martin Barnes (from fanzine When the Ball moves) and finally a howitzer from just inside the box.
At 6-5 the game opened up again and Colin Walsh got the goal his play throughout the game deserved.
Man of the match for the whites was Neil Starkie for his 5 goal haul and for the Clarets, Nigel Coates picked up the honour.
The teams were:
Clarets
1. Jon Wilson, 2. Vince Overson (captain), 3. Andrew West, 4. Ged Young, 5. Joseph Birney, 6. Martin Barnes. 7. Chris Denison, 8. Declan Murray, 9. Andrew Ronnan, 10. Nigel Coates, 11. Timothy R. Entwistle, 14. John Steele, 15. Derek Davies, 16. David Hargreaves. Manager: Willie Irvine.
Whites
1. Ian Walsh, 2. Gerry Harrison (captain), 3. Peter Rowbotham, 4. Ron Foster, 5. Keith Fitton, 6. Leigh Burrows, 7. Colin Walsh, 8 . Andy Hodson, 9. Neil Starkie, 10. Lorne Hayhurst, 11. Matthew Moran, 14. Michael Fay, 15. Keiron Higginson, 16. Gary Mills. Manager: Andy Lochhead.
Andy Hodson who scored the fifth goal for the whites said after the game,
"All in all it was a great experience to play at the Turf and I can recommend it to anyone when the event rolls around next year. Hats off to all at Football aid and especially those at the club who have supported the event and allowed the game to take place and in the process raising £4,000 towards the total of more than £500,000 nationwide."
But what about five goal star Neil Starkie, what a day he had. From what he told Clarets Mad after the game I suspect he enjoyed himself.
"The whole experience of walking into the changing room, seeing your shirt with name on the back hanging up, walking out onto the pitch - who cares if there were only 50 or so people there.
"Following in the footsteps of legends from my Mum's era like Ray Pointer, Jimmy Mac, Andy Lochhead & Willie Irvine who were obviously there, and my heroes - Billy Hamilton, Martin Dobson, & Payts, and scoring a goal - are all something I will never forget.
I could have stayed out on the pitch all night. The whole experience was worth far more than I paid."
Clarets Mad are delighted that everyone enjoyed themselves and would like to add their thanks to all those who took part and helped to raise the money for Football Aid and to those at the club who made it all possible.