Four-middable Clarets demolish Doncaster

Alex Taylor - got the second goal

Following the previous match away at Wigan the youth team again went goal crazy and could easily have scored more in this Alliance Cup tie.

The opening exchanges of the match had the Clarets sitting back weighing up their opposition and in fairness to them, the visitors did attempt to play some neat football, although without looking dangerous.

The first real attempt of the game didn’t actually come about until around 25 minutes in when a long ball was held up well by Alex Taylor with his back to goal. He laid it into the path of the advancing Rob Henry, who whipped an inch perfect cross to the back post and onto the (no longer blonde) head of Chris McCann, giving the keeper no chance as the ball flashed back across him.

Shortly after Kyle Lafferty was released through the centre but, one-on-one, he was unable to beat the keeper, who saved smartly to his right.

With the second half coming to a close the Clarets produced their second of the game – almost a carbon copy of the first. Again Taylor laid off to Henry who centred to McCann. The header put goal wards by McCann this time though was slightly off target, but Taylor showed good anticipation to steal in behind the defence and finish.

The start of the 2^nd half gave Doncaster their only real chance of the game as their striker ran clean through but his heavy touch allowed Michael Hale the opportunity to smother his attempt.

Almost immediately the Clarets had their third though a Nicky Platt penalty, converted after Taylor was brought down going round the keeper. Burnley then dominated play, creating chance after chance. Lafferty, Pugh and Platt all went close and McCann got the fourth, his second, with an angled drive from the left.

The football being played by the Clarets was exceptional and with the game won Pashley made a triple substitution replacing Booth, Taylor and McCann with Ince, Jones and Avery, returning from his injury lay-off. The personnel and system change removed the momentum from the game and play became more disjointed, but the job had already been completed.

Burnley line-up:- Michael Hale, Rob Henry, Martin Reilly, Neil Trotman, Ryan Townsend, Marc Pugh, Chris McCann (Tom Ince), Nicky Platt, Joe Booth (Adam Jones), Alex Taylor (Darrell Avery), Kyle Lafferty. Subs not used:- Mark Crossley, Cayne Hanley.

Fixtures and Results