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| Waqas Azam |
Today has been an emotional one for me. My dad, the man responsible for me being a Claret, passed away 25 years ago today. I'd intended spending the day quietly until this fixture came along and, of all places, it was at the Rolls Royce Sports Ground. My dad worked for Rolls Royce in Barnoldswick for most of his working life until his retirement in 1982.
He's been in my thoughts all day and none more so than at the game. I looked at our line up and wondered which of them would have impressed him the most. He liked big players. He was no fan of the likes of Billy Ingham and Brian Flynn. The only exception was Brian O'Neil, our wonderful Bedlington Terrier, who would probably walk into most people's all time Burnley eleven.
I reckon Shaun Hobson and Lewis Norvock, the two central defenders, and the two forwards Ntumba Massanka and Khius Metz might have been the ones he'd have kept an eye on today.
I don't think he'd have been over impressed with the performance but it was probably not a game we should have lost. We dominated the possession for most of the game but never really created enough, certainly not in terms of clear cut chances.
We should have gone in front during the first half but too often we didn't make the most of our opportunities and the Tranmere goalkeeper had things much easier than he might have expected.
We did put their back line under pressure but too often the final ball wasn't quite good enough or we just didn't get a break in the box. Even so, at half time there were no real fears of a defeat but that all changed at the start of the second half.
Within a couple of minutes Tranmere were appealing for a penalty. Referee and assistant communicated but both had said no independently. It was the correct decision.
But on 50 minutes they went up for a penalty again and this time the referee, rightly again, pointed to the spot. This is where the real good fortune came in for our visitors.
Goalkeeper Tony Aghayere went to his right and saved well. The ball bounced up onto the post, back again and off the goalkeeper into the net for an own goal. There was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it going in and Tranmere were very fortunately in front.
They offered very little attacking threat after that, although Aghayere, who impressed me on what was the first time I've seen him play, made a very good save.
It was all about defending for Tranmere and they did it well. We pressed, we pushed players forward and we got the ball into their box time and again, but hardly created anything resembling a clear cut chance on goal.
They defended well; it all got frantic in the closing minutes but this time there was no need for a shoot out and we were out of the Youth Alliance Cup.
I'm not so sure what my dad would have thought of the game but he'd have loved being their watching the Clarets, that I do know.
The Burnley team was: Tony Aghayere, Waqas Azam, Shaun Hobson, Lewis Norvock, Andy Nugent, Brad Jackson, Hamam El-Fitouri, Andreas Bianga, Jamal Crawford (Christian Hill), Ntumba Massanka, Khius Metz (Josh Dolling). Subs not used: Callum O'Neill, Vashiko Dixon, Brandon Wilson.