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After an up and down week which included the shambles at Hillsborough and the confidence building Carling Cup win over Bury, we were all ready for the return of Championship action at the Turf.
Pre-game entertainment often draws mixed options from fans but today's will live long in the memory, not necessarily for the talent of display. The Red Devils parachute team were the guests as one by one they swooped down onto the pitch ...well all but one of them. Whether it was a mistimed jump or he just wasn't really very good the unlucky Para found himself stranded on the Cricket Field stand roof. I'm sure that most clarets fans will agree, it's probably the last place you would like to be stranded.
Humorous it was but it soon became a little less of a laughing matter once we were all made aware that the kick off would be delayed by half an hour while the rescue operation was conducted. Great, I thought but at least I had my shiny new programme to shift through.
It was ten to four before the teams arrived ready for the kick off, Brian Jensen retained his place in goal after a clean sheet against Bury. Clarke Carlisle returned after his suspension in the heart of the clarets defence. Joey Gudjonsson paired up with Chris McCann behind the trio of attacking midfielders Elliott, Blake and Eagles.
Burnley began brightly and had their first attempt on goal in only the fifth minute. A good cross from the right by Wade Elliott was met by the head of Gudjonsson who saw his header flash wide of Richard Wright's left hand post. Clarke Carlisle was next to trouble the Ipswich goal. The towering centre half met firmly with an accurate Robbie Blake corner but unfortunately his header was straight at Wright.
Chris McCann was looking confident and assured in the Burnley midfield. Of all the players on show he certainly looks like the long pre-season has served him well both physically and technically.
Joey Gudjonsson dragged a 30 yard free kick wide on the 20 minute mark when a cross may have been the better option. Five minutes later Chris Eagles latched onto a nice central pass by Graham Alexander but his shot was tame and easily collected by Wright. Burnley's bet chance to open the scoring came on the half hour mark. Robbie Blake found the feet of Martin Paterson on the left who's lovely reverse pass found the onrushing Eagles who's fierce shot was parried over and our for a corner. Blake's resulting cross caused mayhem in the Tractor Boy's defence and it was only the intervention of Wright that denied Paterson with a clever back flicked header.
Now I'm sure most Burnley fans will agree, the first half an hour provided real reason for optimism. However, that was as good as it was going to get.
An Ipswich corner from the right was half cleared right to the welcome boot of Jamie Trotter who managed to lash a half volley through a crowd of Burnley defenders for an undeserved lead. It was to get worse before the break for the home side as an Ipswich breakaway led to a cross from the right wing that found Kevin Lisbie unmarked. His first effort was parried by Jensen but the follow up gave Ipswich a two nil lead and made for a bitter tasting Bovril at the interval.
Owen Coyle decided to make no changes at the break and so Burnley began the second half as they started the first in the somewhat unfamiliar 4-2-3-1 formation. Only four minutes into the half and the Burnley players felt they should have had a penalty for handball after a bouncing ball caused a mix up in the Ipswich defence. A spot kick would certainly have been harsh.
The introductions of Ade Akinbiyi for Robbie Blake and Kevin McDonald for Joey Gudjonsson did nothing to spark Burnley into life; in fact they had the opposite effect. As soon as Ade was introduced the inevitable long ball game took over and you couldn't see Burnley getting back into the game. Long efforts from Wade Elliott and Chris Eagles were easily kept out and Martin Paterson saw his 12 yard drive well blocked after good work down the left from another second half sub Alan Mahon.
Just as the Turf Moor faithful thought the afternoon could not get any worse, it did. An innocuous long ball caused confusion as Stephen Jordan proceeded to nod the ball past the approaching Brain Jensen for the most embarrassing end to a miserable day for all in claret and blue.
e now go on to Selhurst Park next week, a ground we conceded five on in final fixture of last season. I am still fully behind Owen Coyle and believe his is the man to take Burnley forward, there is still half a month of the transfer window remaining and now is not the time to lose the faith! Be honest....even though we are defending like a bunch of lame snails at the moment, there is no other team would rather support!