47 watch afternoon victory

Dimitri Papadopoulos - scored both Burnley goals

The latest decree to go out from Stanley Augustus was that youth was to be abandoned in favour of experience, so today the Clarets fielded what would have been a more than acceptable first team line up. Also inscribed on said decree was that the team should now play as the first team in the 4-1-4-1 formation that has served us so well in recent weeks, with the returning Skip playing in front of the back four à la Cooky. So the Clarets lined up:

Nik Michopoulos; Mark McGregor, Earl Davis, Arthur Gnohéré, Gordon Armstrong (Andrew Leeson 46); Steve Davis (capt.) (Andrew Waine 65); Glen Little, Paul Weller, Robbie Blake, Brad Maylett; Dimitri Papadopoulos (Andy Payton 70). Subs not used: Matthew O’Neill, James Salisbury.

Oldham put out quite a strong side, featuring ex-Blackburn players Ben Burgess and Wayne Gill. In 4-3-3 they lined up:

David Miskelly; Michael Clegg, Dean Holden, Mark Tierney, Adam Griffin; Wayne Gill, John Eyre Danny Forde 65), Matty Appleby (Ashley Winn 70); Chris Killen (Carlos Roca 73), Ben Burgess, Scott Vernon. Subs not used: Charlie Tracey, Craig Fleming.

This was a must-win game for both sides. A win for the Latics would probably have put them beyond reach, whereas a win for the Clarets would leave us only three points behind them with a game in hand. Both teams clearly had instructions to attack, and the crowd of 47 (I thought I counted 49, but then I did include the watching Anthony Shandran and Craig Mawson who presumably mustn’t qualify) were treated to an entertaining game.

With Blake seemingly involved in every move, the Clarets dominated much of the first half, with Nico a virtual spectator. Miskelly had saved twice with his feet from Little and Papa, before the Clarets deservedly took the lead in the 36^th minute following a superb move. Blake played in McGregor down the right with a sublime reverse pass; Macca sped forward, and put over an inch-perfect cross to the far post where Papa rose to power an unstoppable header home from close range.

The watching Stan, seated in the Cricket Field Stand in the midst of what appeared to be a host of unidentifiable camp followers, must have surely been impressed. (Some light was later to be thrown onto their identity when towards the end of the game a TV camera appeared, and a figure looking suspiciously like Tony Livesey hove into view, all no doubt part of some zany caperings to be shown pre-Watford.)

At the back the defence was solid and coping well with Oldham’s quick breaks, with the Arthur-Earl combination looking formidable. Davis (S) was running freely, seemingly untroubled by his recent injury, and was linking well with the midfield. Maylett, on the left, was looking a little rusty after his long absence, but did enough to be a constant thorn in the side of the Latics’ defence.

Halftime at 1-0, and things were looking comfortable. (Except that is for the spectators who found that all the refreshment bars were closed.)

Leeson replaced Armstrong at the restart, with McGregor moving to left back, but this made little difference to the pattern of play. Oldham rallied briefly, but created nothing that required Nico to dirty his gloves, the closest they came being a Vernon back header which cleared the bar with ease.

After 63 minutes the Clarets increased their lead, with Blake once again the creator. Intercepting a pass in midfield he bore down on Miskelly before laying the ball off unselfishly for Papa to advance and beat the goalie with a firm drive.

Shortly afterwards Waine and Payton replaced Davis (S) and Papa, their jobs having been well done. Skip, in departing, tossed his captain’s armband to Arthur, somewhat to the latter’s bemusement. As the reality slowly dawned on him, the beaming Arthur proudly donned the symbolic appendage.

In the game’s one remaining major incident the Clarets were rightly awarded a penalty in the 78^th minute. Blake played a fine crossfield ball to Maylett who, advancing into the area, was tripped from behind by Gill. Payton seemed keen to take the kick, but Blake beat him to it. His shot was good but Miskelly, diving to his left, pushed the ball away with a great save.