Clarets lose top billing to Preston

Last updated : 20 February 2012 By Tony Scholes
Defender Alex Coleman

Walsall were the first to get the opportunity last Tuesday. They remain unbeaten this season but a fourth draw, this time 0-0 at Rochdale, has left them still two points behind us and now with just the one game in hand.

Carlisle's game at Bury was called off and that just left Preston. They made no mistake with a 2-0 win against Shrewsbury. That takes them two points clear of us in the league and with a much better goal difference too. We do, though, have a game in hand on them.

There were a couple of big wins in the league on Saturday. Port Vale hit Wigan for five while Rochdale went one goal better with a 5-1 win against Accrington. There was even a point for bottom club Morecambe who drew 3-3 at Oldham and that leaves them just a point behind Blackpool and with two games in hand.

Hopefully we'll get back to league action ourselves this week. We've played just one league game in 2012, that a 5-2 away win against Accrington on the first Saturday of the year. The previous game, and our last at Gawthorpe, was back on 10th December when we beat Rochdale 4-0.

With all of Walsall, Carlisle and Preston in action we'll need to be able to continue our good run, we've won our last eight games, to ensure we stay right up there in that top group in the table.

Last week's results and this week's fixtures are below along with Burnley's goalscorers this season and the current Youth Alliance League Table.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Tuesday 14th February
Rochdale 0 Walsall 0

Wednesday 15th February
Bury 1 Accrington 1

Saturday 18th February
Bury v Carlisle - Postponed
Macclesfield 0 Wrexham 1
Oldham 3 Morecambe 3
Port Vale 5 Wigan 0
Preston 2 Shrewsbury 0
Rochdale 6 Accrington 1
Stockport v Burnley - Postponed

THIS WEEK'S FIXTURES

Saturday 25th February
Accrington v Shrewsbury
Blackpool v Stockport
Burnley v Tranmere
Bury v Walsall - being played at Walsall
Carlisle v Wigan
Morecambe v Wrexham
Preston v Macclesfield
Rochdale v Port Vale - being played at Port Vale

BURNLEY'S GOALSCORERS (LEAGUE AND CUP)

16: Jason Gilchrist, Shay McCartan
9: Steven Hewitt
6: Adam Evans
3: Cameron Howieson
2: Archie Love, Alex Mullin, own goals
1: Lewis Nuttall, Dean Overson, James Taylor, Aryn Williams

CURRENT LEAGUE TABLE

Team pld w d l f a pts
 
Preston North End 15 11 2 2 39 14 35
Burnley 14 11 0 3 37 19 33
Walsall 13 9 4 0 29 7 31
Carlisle United 15 10 0 5 39 20 30
Tranmere Rovers 15 9 1 5 33 24 28
Oldham Athletic 18 7 5 6 26 20 26
Bury 15 7 3 5 32 28 24
Rochdale 17 7 3 7 33 31 24
Stockport County 15 7 1 7 32 38 22
Wrexham 15 6 3 6 25 25 21
Port Vale 14 6 2 6 31 29 20
Wigan Athletic 14 4 2 8 19 26 14
Macclesfield Town 15 3 5 7 16 27 14
Shrewsbury Town 13 4 0 9 20 30 12
Accrington Stanley 16 3 3 10 19 37 12
Blackpool 17 3 1 13 20 52 10
Morecambe 15 2 3 10 24 47 9