We were the better side, went in front early in the game but conceded an equaliser in the second half that owed as much to an assistant referee having difficulty raising his flag as anything else.
It was certainly a more experienced looking forward line that started for the Clarets with Ian Moore partnering Graham Branch and we soon had the visitors in some trouble. But it was Matt O’Neill causing the problems and he almost gave us an early lead but his shot from outside the box got a deflection and just cleared the bar.
In the very next attack we went in front and this time O’Neill got down the left beating the defender with some clever foot work. He crossed to the far post where Amadou Sanokho came in to head home with some power past the helpless Neil Cutler in goal.
Cutler was not to be helpless any more though and turned in a fantastic performance with a whole string of excellent saves, the last of which came in the very last minute when he got a hand to a superb Neal Trotman header to tip it over.
As we got on top during the first half he made excellent saves from Moore and O’Neill and we had two further goals disallowed. The first was for a challenge on the keeper as Trotman headed in and then Branch was adjudged offside as he went through to score after O’Neill had played him in.
It wasn’t one way traffic and we had to be alert on a couple of occasions but we were well worth our lead at the interval as the two returning players took their leave after manager Steve Cotterill indicated as such to Mark Yates from his seat in the directors’ box. Their replacements for the second half were youngsters Alex Taylor and Kyle Lafferty.
If that one was wrong then the decision to keep his flag down was certainly wrong by the assistant in front of the Bob Lord Stand. Mat Bailey was put through, clearly offside as everyone else in the ground could see, but down it stayed and he went on to score past Michael Hale who had no chance.
There was the odd comment aimed at the assistant from the crowd and he also appeared to get a talking to as he went past the home technical area. He wasn’t concentrating, wasn’t looking and so didn’t give it.
We did everything but get back in front and Cutler made another couple of very good saves before that last minute tip over and yet again we had to settle for a draw, our fourth on the run and fifth in seven games.
It leaves us still without a win whilst the visitors return to the Land of the Unprofessionals still unbeaten, something their first team certainly can’t claim.
We’re back in action again next Wednesday when we take on another
The teams were,
Burnley: Michael Hale, Joel Pilkington, Neal Trotman, Chris McCann, Paul Scott, Marc Pugh (Martin Reilly 89), Joe Booth, Amadou Sanokho, Matt O’Neill, Ian Moore (Alex Taylor 45), Graham Branch (Kyle Lafferty 45). Subs not used: Mark Crossley, Nicky Platt.
Unprofessionals: Cutler, Mair, Riley, Allen, McAllister, Best, Campbell (
Attendance: 174.
Burnley
