Starstruck Clarets' last gasp sickener

However, the introduction of Preston celebrity-substitute Warren Beattie in the last minute of added time clearly overawed the impressionable youngsters who allowed the 6’7” Fola Onibuje to head home a long throw seconds later.

With the respective first teams having travelled long distances the previous night, both coaches were obliged to field virtual youth sides. A surprise inclusion for the Clarets though was Arthur Gnohéré who had played nearly ninety minutes at Portsmouth. In the absence of Liam Eves, Andrew Leeson was moved into central defence alongside Arthur, with first-year scholar Danny Pitham coming in at right-back.

Burnley, in 4-5-1: James Salisbury; Danny Pitham, Andrew Leeson, Arthur Gnohéré, Paul Scott; Mark Rasmussen, Joel Pilkington, Richard Chaplow, Andrew Waine (capt.), Matthew O’Neill; Damien Hindle. Subs not used: Michael Hale, Robert Grimes, Marc Pugh, Ryan Townsend, Rhys Carpenter.

Preston, in 3-5-2: Andrew Lonergan; David Elebert, Darren Kempson, Ciaran Lyng; John Bailey (capt.), Michael Brown (George Curwen 82), Carl Clampitt, Alan McCormack (Warren Beattie 92), Paul Carvill; Mark Jackson (Fola Onibuje 82), Kelvin Langmead. Subs not used: Paul Forker, Ben Kitchen.

From our vantage point in the Tom Finney Stand (admission an outrageous £4) the luxurious Deepdale turf, as at Walsall last week, looked a delight to play on.
Clearly Preston thought so as for the first thirty minutes they dominated the game, passing and moving with a precision that the out of sorts Clarets could not match. When we finally did gain possession the ball was nearly always given away immediately. Hindle up front was an isolated figure, receiving hardly any support as his teammates struggled to put together any kind of flowing football.

After only five minutes Preston took the lead in what could best be described as farcical conditions. Carvill put over an outswinging cross from the left touchline; deafened by Salisbury’s bellow the defence left it; Salty failed to collect cleanly, and the ball ricocheted into a gaping net off one of a cluster of bodies.

Whose body exactly would seem to be a moot point. Preston captain Bailey was claiming it, and the tannoy agreed. Later reports though have an “own goal” (Preston website), a Waine own goal (Burnley website), and a Chaplow own goal (LET). I’ll now add my twopenn’orth and say I thought it went in off Scotty!

Further headed efforts from Langmead and Jackson went close as Preston dominated. Lonergan in the Lilywhites’ goal had little to do other than collect back passes and admire his colleagues.

However, just before halftime the Clarets showed some signs that they were awakening from their slumbers. Hindle left Kempson for dead with a superb dummy, advanced on goal but shot just wide. Waine then looped a header over as Burnley finally started to create problems for the Preston defence.

As the second half resumed it was clear that the Clarets had been on the receiving end of a Ronnie rocket. Immediately, they launched into attack and almost equalised within two minutes when a fierce Scott freekick was deflected narrowly wide.

With Chaplow now in outstanding form, it was Burnley's turn to dominate. Constantly looking for the ball and then using it with some delightful passes, Chappy looked for all the world like a reincarnation of Brian Flynn (whose boots, I am reliably informed, he used to clean during Flynny’s recent “helping out” spell with us!).

With Knocker O’Neill creating mayhem down the left and Damo running the defence ragged an equaliser looked on the cards. It came in the 74th minute via the usual channel, Hindle firing home from fifteen yards for his nineteenth of the season.

From now on there was only going to be one winner. Chaplow saw an impudent 35-yard lob just clear the angle with Lonergan beaten, and a cheeky Hindle sidefoot from the edge of the area shaved a post. Preston were struggling, and even the introduction of the awkward Onibuje ten minutes from time did little to raise their game.

With the fourth official indicating two minutes, and with the knowledge that Oldham had only drawn earlier in the afternoon, this was looking like a good point in the fight to avoid relegation. That is, until disaster struck.

In the second of those added minutes O’Neill lost the ball and in the process fouled McCormack and was duly booked. Exit McCormack and enter Beattie, for which the ref added an extra few seconds. In the time it took the open-mouthed Clarets to gasp “Oh my God, it’s Warren Beattie!”, Preston took the kick and won the throw from which the giant Onibuje flicked the ball home with Salty nowhere.

Poor Damo collapsed to the ground in despair. It was difficult not to feel sorry for the young Clarets who had fought back well to take what had seemed like a deserved and vital point. To compound their misery two seconds after the restart the ref blew for time.

Yesterday’s results leave the Clarets in the second relegation place a point behind Oldham. But with three games left to Oldham’s one the omens are still good. Five points would ensure survival, starting with three at home to Walsall next Wednesday. This is a vital game for the club, so please, if at all possible get down to the Turf to give the young Clarets your support.

Reserves Fixtures and Results

Avon Insurance Premier Division Table