Clarets cruise to county youth final

Last updated : 16 April 2012 By Tony Scholes

The Clarets booked their trip to Deepdale with this emphatic win that saw recent first team debutants Steven Hewitt and Shay McCartan on the scoresheet with Adam Evans adding to those goals with a brace.

Two goals for Adam Evans

It was a fully deserved win and once we'd gone in front the result really was never in any doubt. That first goal came after a quiet opening to the game when neither side were able to grab the initiative, although we did have an Evans goal chalked off for what has to have been a very borderline offside decision, and it came from the penalty spot.

Jason Gilchrist went on a run that took him into the box on the left hand side. He was pulled back with the most blatant of shirt pulls that the referee saw clearly. After a delay whilst the ball was placed to the referee's satisfaction Hewitt made no mistake as he hit it to the goalkeeper's right.

Burnley really got on top after that with Shay McCartan prominent in just about everything positive. He nearly got a goal himself, almost set one up for Gilchrist and then played his part when we doubled our advantage in the last minute of normal time at the end of the first half.

McCartan won a header which found Hewitt who in turn played the ball through for Evans to run onto. The Dubliner took it brilliantly as he got onto the ball and slid it past the helpless 'keeper.

The two Colemans were booked early in the second half (Blackpool's Oli and Burnley's Alex) and when Alex, who I thought had an outstanding game in the centre of defence, was carded it led to Blackpool getting a shot on target from a free kick.

McCartan almost immediately put the game well out of Blackpool's reach with our the third. Evans found him with a through ball and after the visiting 'keeper came out he got it past him and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Blackpool made a triple change, Coventry style, on the hour but it made no difference. We also made a couple of changes, the only two we could make with the squad stretched and leaving us with only two outfield subs. Both of them, Luke Daly and Lewis Nuttall are under-16s.

The game went flat for a while but we lifted things again at the end and Evans did in the second half exactly what he'd done in the first half, score in the last minute of normal time. This time played in down the right he again placed his shot past the goalkeeper to see it go in just inside the post.

This was a good performance with some stand out displays from the likes of Coleman and McCartan. The team were without three of the regular back four - Aryn Williams, Tom Anderson and Luke Conlan - as well as Cameron Howieson, with all four watching from the stand.

I just hope the games don't come too thick and fast for them because we are going to have to win our last three league games to pip Preston for the title (they only have one to play) and we've the final at Deepdale. These lads deserve to win something.

Tonight's teams were;

Burnley: Josh Cooke, Charlie Holt, Alex Coleman, Jack Errington, Alex Mullin, Luke Gallagher (Luke Daly 72), Steven Hewitt, Archie Love, Adam Evans, Shay McCartan (Lewis Nuttall 72), Jason Gilchrist. Sub not used: Callum Jakovlevs.

Blackpool:  Elliot Tarney, Matthew Challenor, Clayton Mitchell, Oli Coleman (Dillon O'Connor 61), Harrison McGahey, Louis Cross (Andreas Pachipis 61), Ramone Blackett, Curtis Thompson, Alex Addai, Jamie Menagh, Ryan Gratton (Ade Cole 61). Subs not used: Dean Gardikiotis, John Fraser.

Attendance: 363.