Clarets in LFA Youth Cup win

Wes Fletcher - two more goals

Following the poor display and defeat in the previous game against Carlisle it was important that the lads got back on track as soon as possible. They did so early on tonight in this 1^st round LFA Cup against Bury. The game was around five minutes old and most of us were still discussing Arsenal tickets, the Coventry game and limited edition scarves when James Craggs surged down the left and fired a cross in to the feet of Liam Newman. It was meat and drink to the forward who beat his man to the ball and stabbed past the keeper.

Both sides were attempting to play football in the early stages and chances came at either end. Wes Fletcher shot across goal from a tight angle and Bury fired just wide from a direct free kick with Stef Ritchie scrambling.

When the game's second goal came though it was for us as Fletcher latched onto a cross-field ball from deep on the left to connect with a volley under challenge and beat the keeper. Bury weren't out of it though and again carved out an opportunity with forward Mason cutting in from the left and pulling a shot just past the near post.

Clearer cut chances were falling to us though and while Newman could have added a second for himself when released by Fletcher only to hit the side netting, it was the Scouser who added to his tally, dancing though the defence and clipping the ball in off the post.

At 3-0 to us at half time the game was pretty much in the bag. Perhaps this is what got into the heads of the players as the 2^nd half deteriorated into a particularly scrappy affair.

Bury picked up a couple of bookings for niggly fouls, as did Clarets captain Chris Lynch. The Burnley centre-half was certainly fortunate to stay on the field as he continued to incur the wrath of the referee and at one point the man in black grabbed his cards, but changed his mind when he realised it would have to be a red.

We still made chances in between the melee, as Dil Chaggar saw a snap shot just fizz over and Fletcher stung the palms of the Bury keeper with a volley after inventive play from Oliver Devenney. Bury though went one better, pulling a goal back through centre half Thompson.

With around 15 minutes remaining Pash followed the lead of Owen Coyle the previous night and made a triple change to try and liven things up. It may have worked but we'll never know as the complexion of the game was instantly changed as Nik Kudiersky was shown a straight red for a hard, late challenge on Bury left back Pugh. It can be said that he had escaped in the two previous games for similar challenges and he was not going to continue with his good fortune. He never complained - in truth no one did - and he trudged off the field.

With a one man disadvantage we were given the task of just keeping it tight as the clock ran down and we managed to do this to close out the game 3-1 and see us into the next round.

Team:- Stef Ritchie, Dan Brown, Jake McEneaney, Nik Kudiersky, Chris Lynch, James Craggs (Michael King), Dil Chaggar (Ross Wilson), Chris Anderson, Oliver Devenney, Wes Fletcher, Liam Newman (Dom Knowles).
Subs not used:- Ben Woodhead, Dave Lynch