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The Bluebells’ "Young at Heart" greeted the sizeable and (Andrew Watson look away now) freely-admitted crowd, and that was certainly true of the Clarets with only Matthew O’Neill’s brief cameo against Watford last Saturday counting as first-team experience. Indeed, Burnley had two schoolboys on the bench, Marc Pugh and Tom Ince, who achieved the remarkable feat during the game of warming up on the touchline whilst completing their Maths homework.
Contrast that with a Walsall side that featured, amongst others, an Australian international (Zdrilic), a Spanish under 21 international (Matias), and a defender with Champions League experience (Hay). That the Saddlers were decidedly relieved to see the late third goal go in speaks volumes for the levels of skill and commitment produced by our youngsters.
The Clarets lined up with the same personnel and formation (4-5-1) that had served them well last week against Rotherham:
James Salisbury; Andrew Leeson (Danny Pitham 78), Ryan Townsend, Liam Eves, Paul Scott; Mark Rasmussen (Tom Ince 78), Joel Pilkington (Robert Grimes 76), Richard Chaplow, Andrew Waine (capt), Matthew O’Neill; Damien Hindle. Subs not used: Rhys Carpenter, Marc Pugh.
Walsall (in 4-4-2): Matty Harris; Mark Wright, Gavin Caines, Danny Hay (Nick Smith 46), Karl Brown; Gary Birch, Kris Taylor, Fitzroy Simpson, Pedro Matias (Julian Bennett 46); David Zdrilic (Eliot Paschalis 76), Matthew Fryatt. Subs not used: Craig Stanley, Daryl Taylor.
The newly-laid Bescot pitch looked in glorious shape and must have been a delight to play on. Throughout the game, both sides played attractive, passing football, in what was an excellent advert for reserve team games.
From the kick off, Walsall had the Clarets on the back foot, and it came as no surprise when they opened their account as early as the eighth minute. The defence failed to clear a corner and the unmarked Matias, showing all the skills that had been honed to perfection at former clubs Real Madrid and Macclesfield Town, volleyed firmly into the roof of the net.
Eight minutes later it was 2-0. A quick through ball split the defence, and impressive teenager Matty Fryatt sped away to thrash the ball past the helpless Salty.
Nervous glances began to be exchanged amongst the travelling Claret and Blue Army. Were Walsall about to rediscover the scoring touch that had crushed several teams at the start of the season? With Zdrilic and Fryatt, aided by Matias and Taylor, all looking lively the signs were not good.
O ye of little faith! For the Clarets seemed to take this as a wake-up call. The midfield now began to assert itself, with Chaplow in a deep, central role fetching and carrying and spraying the ball out to either wing, where Ras and Knocker began to worry the defence. Damo, as usual, was holding the ball up well and laying it off to the supporting Waine and Pilkington. The defence, marshalled by Liam, began to look more settled, although the Walsall forwards remained a constant threat and Salty had to pull off two great saves to keep the score to 2-0.
However, for all their possession, the Clarets had only managed long-range efforts from O’Neill and Chaplow. This changed in the second half, though, as almost from the kick off Burnley began to carve a way through the Saddlers’ midfield and defence.
Waine was just wide following typical Knocker trickery on the left; Liam headed against the bar from a Ras corner; and Damo shaved the post after good build-up play from Waine and Rasmussen.
A goal seemed certain, and on the hour it arrived. Brown held back Pilkington in the area, and inevitably Hindle converted the penalty.
With Townsend and Eves subduing the previously dangerous Zdrilic and Fryatt, the Saddlers were clearly concerned. The Clarets pressed forward in search of a deserved equaliser, but gradually Walsall began to weather the storm and push forward themselves.
Birch tested Salty with a fierce shot before the decisive goal arrived in the 75th minute. A seemingly innocuous cross somehow reached the far post where Taylor drove the ball fiercely into the roof of the net for 3-1.
Within a minute of the restart poor Joel received the full force of a clearance in his face, collapsed senseless to the turf, and had to be stretchered off to the sympathetic applause of the always-appreciative crowd.
Defeat then, but no disgrace, and many aspects of the Clarets’ performance will have pleased the Supremo. The way they rallied after conceding the two early goals against much more experienced opposition was heartening, and the quality of much of their play was excellent.
Next week it’s Preston away at Deepdale, a tough fixture as the Lilywhites are in with a shout of the title. So if at all possible, try to get along to cheer on the lads as they try to pull away from that second relegation place.
Reserves Fixtures and Results