Clarets storm past Tranmere

Last updated : 07 April 2009 By Tony Scholes
Wes Fletcher
Wes Fletcher - two more goals
Wes Fletcher, James Craggs, Stef Ritchie and Michael King returned to the starting line-up.

The youngsters started brightly and the game could have been over inside 15 minutes. On 9 minutes Michael King drifting in from the left and released Dan Brown who put in a tremendous cross for James Craggs who fired narrowly over.

A Michael King corner on 14 minutes saw Dan Brown powering a header to the top corner only for the keeper to pull off an excellent save. From the resulting corner it was Craggs stealing in at the far post to head just wide.

Within a minute Dil Chaggar had combined with Craggs to send Chris Anderson through only for the midfielder to drive the ball inches wide.

Burnley continued to press and it was Wes Fletcher who broke free down the right with only desperate Tranmere defending denied King racing in from the left.

Burnley's dominance was now disrupted as the influential Alex-Ray Harvey, injured in an earlier tackle, was replaced by Oliver Devenney. Next skipper Chris Lynch was in the wars as he was caught by a stray elbow and needed treatment. The half amazingly finished 0-0.

The second half continued in the same vein and on 60 minutes the deadlock was broken. Dan Brown set off on an overlap only for Dil Chaggar to cut inside his marker and play a tremendous defence splitting pass for Wes Fletcher to crash in the opening goal off the far post.

Within a minute it was Chaggar again beating his man. This time he went for glory and sent a shot arrowing towards the top corner only for the keeper to make a tremendous save.

Burnley could not be denied and from the resulting corner Michael King drove the ball to the far post for Nik Kudiersky to head in the second.

The Burnley youngsters were now looking to kill off the game. Excellent work by Anderson led to a cross by Brown on to the head of Lynch and again the keeper's fingertips denied Fletcher another goal.

Fletcher now turned provider as he released King down the left only for his goal-bound shot to be deflected wide. Tranmere tried valiantly to get back in the game but Stef Ritchie produced two brilliant saves.

On 75 minutes Dom Knowles replaced James Craggs. Within minutes Knowles looked to have scored only for the ref to call play back to award a Burnley penalty. Dan Brown strode confidently forward but after Saturday it was that man Fletcher who drove the ball into the bottom corner for Burnley's third goal.

Fletcher was replaced by Liam Newman on 80 minutes. Burnley continued to dominate and created further chances for King ,Newman and Knowles. The game finished with Burnley convincing 3-0 winners and a place in the final against Preston.

A final mention should go to Jake McEneaney who was roasted by the Tranmere right winger in the first minute to set the home fans cheering. He did not give him another kick for the remaining 89 minutes.

Good luck in the final.

Although not confirmed it looks as though the final will be played at Irongate, home of Bamber Bridge, on Wednesday 22nd April with a 7:00 p.m. kick off.