Tranmere blow Clarets away

Last updated : 02 September 2006 By Andy Ashworth
Jay Rodriguez - ended the game in goal and made a good save
Now it's been said in the past that if a game down at Gawthorpe hasn't been a good one then the match report often incorporates a weather report. Bearing that in mind I should touch on the persistent and often torrential downpour that we hardy souls had to endure. The wind that accompanied led to a high casualty rate amongst attending brollies.

The game was not great viewing from the Burnley point of view. Again with a number of experienced faces missing from the line up we started with what can only be described, with no slight intended, as a makeshift back-line. With that said the two teams seemed evenly matched in the first 20 minutes or so.

However, one incisive break followed and the defence was cut asunder allowing the opposition forward to fire past Jon Sergeant. The visitors took heart from this and there was only one side in the game from this point on in truth. Our only memorable chances came in the form of Ali Akbar free-kicks but neither tested the keeper. Before half time Tranmere had made it 2-0 with a free header from a corner.

The second half started with us hoping for an upturn in performance and perhaps even a break in the clouds. Alas it was not to be. Within five minutes of the kick off an innocuous looking free-kick had floated into the top corner and any chance of comeback was dead and buried. We made a couple of changes and Alex McDonald in particular impressed with his tenacity and drive when he was introduced, setting up Akbar at the far post for a Di Canio style scissor volley which crashed off the woodwork.

Unfortunately we couldn't stop Tranmere again striding through us to make it four. It could have been more as the visitors twice hit the foot of Sergeant's left hand post.

Our keeper though would find his game come prematurely to an end. He had previously been the victim of an unpunished elbow by one of the Tranmere forwards and he was forced from the field minutes after our last substitution had been used after the same attacker challenged him late as he cleared the ball. Jay Rodriguez took the sodden jersey and gloves and we continued with ten men.

A good save from Rodriguez and good covering from U-15 defender Gareth Cowan meant that we closed the game out at 4-0.

Team:- Jon Sergeant, Dale Underwood, Lewis Craig, Dean Stott, Ben Hoskin (Gareth Cowan), Ali Akbar, Alex-Ray Harvey (Alex McDonald), Connor Smith, Chris Anderson, Jay Rodriguez, Rob Turner (Ash Young).