Brilliant end to reserve season

Last updated : 05 May 2010 By Tony Scholes
Wes Fletcher
Wes Fletcher - two goals
All seasons have highs and lows and there is no doubt that there have been disappointments during the 2009/10 season. Yesterday though ended in a massive high as two goals in the last three minutes of the game turned it on its head and gave the Burnley fans something to cheer about.

Those hardly Clarets had been taunted during the afternoon by a small collection from the opposition at the other end, a small collection that even their own goalkeeper wasn't particularly happy with.

It was that goalkeeper, Jake Kean who had almost single-handedly kept the score at 0-0 in the first half. He just couldn't be beaten and made top saves in particular from Chris 'Scorer' Anderson and Frédéric Nimani.

It was, for much of the half, one way traffic, down at the far end with the Burnley defence having precious little to do for the most part.

No goals in the first half, but that changed after the break. Unfortunately it was Blackburn who broke the deadlock through Nick Blackman. His shot went under goalkeeper Jonathan Lund.

It was a blow but just past the hour we came back. We'd come close to an equaliser a couple of times but then Alex MacDonald, a player who had appeared to be aiming pre-match kicks at certain spectators, got down the right and crossed well for the hugely impressive Wes Fletcher.

Wes got his header in, across the goalkeeper, and right in front of the Burnley fans steered it into the corner.

Incredibly Blackburn came back, might have gone back in front with one wasteful effort before taking the lead again through Blackman when a ball was too easily allowed to come across to him.

Burnley replaced Anderson, who had again been a big influence in the midfield, and Adam Kay with Dave Lynch and Michael King nine minutes from the end as we looked for a second equaliser.

With two minutes of normal time remaining it looked all over. Then, King got down the left. It was an excellent run from one of our newest professionals that ended with a cross which Nimani headed home to the absolute delight of the Burnley fans.

Forced behind the goal for this game it was proving just the place to be to see the goals. We'd got ourselves a draw, we hoped, but were now baying for a win, and it came right on time.

We won a free kick. Alex-Ray Harvey got it into the box where young central defender Neil Yadolahi had a headed cleared off the line. There was a battle royal in the six yard box and it looked as though Dom Knowles, who had just been introduced, got a touch that was again blocked before Fletcher hit home.

It all went quiet down at the open end, but you would have thought we'd won a cup final given the reaction from the Burnley fans. We had to play four minutes of stoppage time but they didn't really threaten and finally we got a win against our local rivals.

It is only right that I dedicate this win to those players who were playing their last games for the club. We learned a while ago that youth team players Jake McEneaney and Danny McDonald weren't being offered deals and they said his goodbyes yesterday, McDonald was the sub goalkeeper.

Along with them, both Ben Hoskin and Adam Kay will be leaving the club having not been offered new deals. We wish all of these players the very best for the future. And you can all say you went out with a win against Blackburn, and it doesn't get much better than that.

The teams were;

Burnley: Jonathan Lund, Ben Hoskin, Neil Yadolahi, Kevin Long, Jake McEneaney, Adam Kay (Michael King 81), Chris Anderson (Dave Lynch 81), Alex-Ray Harvey, Alex MacDonald (Dom Knowles 90), Frédéric Nimani, Wes Fletcher. Subs not used: Danny McDonald, Curtis Woods.

Blackburn Rovers: Jake Kean, Jackson Ramm, Josh Morris, Anthony O'Connor, Matty Pearson, Jason Lowe, Micah Evans (Julio Santa Cruz 52), Michael Potts, Nick Blackman, Aaron Doran, Zach Aley. Subs not used: Josh Swann, Tom Hitchcock, James Knowles, Dami Ajagbe.