Late, late show rescues a point

A visit from Carlisle always seems to increase the amount of bad language around the place and things were no different today with the visitors once again using the sort of vocabulary that would make a Chubby Brown audience blush.

But to their credit the 3^rd Division basement team’s youngsters played well and certainly made a strong start to the game putting the young Clarets under some pressure. Burnley certainly had their moments and had a couple of half chances but the stronger, older and more experienced Cumbrians were also looking the more likely.

Things didn’t get any better for the Clarets either when Cayne Hanley, playing on the right hand side of midfield in place of the injured Marc Pugh, was himself forced off to be replaced by another schoolboy from the Centre of Excellence Rob Henry.

We battled hard and looked as though we would turn round at half time level but Carlisle took the lead in the last minute of the first half with a header from a deep left wing cross. In fairness they were worth their lead and there could be no complaints at the half time score.

Things didn’t get a whole lot better in the second half either with Carlisle looking to kill the game off. On three occasions they were denied by Michael Hale in the Burnley goal with one particularly good save as he got down low to his right to push the ball round for a corner.

The Clarets started to come more into the game and twice looked certain to grab an equaliser but the Carlisle keeper with a good save and then his right hand post kept the Clarets out.

To their credit we didn’t give it up and came back at Carlisle and were rewarded with a goal with just over a quarter of an hour to go. It was one of the new boys Alex Taylor, again impressive, who latched on to the ball and gave the keeper no chance as he finished well.

It was all Burnley now and we hit the woodwork again, this time Rhys Carpenter the unlucky player, as we fought for an equaliser.

Central defender Neal Trotman was sent upfield although it looked in vain as the ninety minutes was reached with us still behind. There was still hope though and in the third minute of stoppage time it was Trotman who got his head onto a Tom Ince score the equaliser.

It was a superb fightback from the youngsters, again finding themselves up against a much older side. They never gave up though and again each and every one of them was a credit.

Hopefully some of the more experienced of their squad, the likes of Robert Grimes, Gary Carter and Ryan Townsend will be back in action soon. Townsend certainly is now back in training after a hamstring injury.

Well done to all of them though for the way they played today, their behaviour on the pitch was exemplary and their willingness to fight to the end more than worthy of the ovation they received at the end.

The team was (in 4-4-2): Michael Hale, James Heywood, Neal Trotman, Danny Pitham, Paul Scott, Cayne Hanley (Rob Henry 22), Darrel Avery, Ross Preston, Tom Ince, Rhys Carpenter, Alex Taylor.