Big night and a big win

Last updated : 21 April 2009 By Tony Scholes
Clarke Carlisle
Clarke Carlisle - immense performance at the back
One goal was enough to restore the four point advantage over the chasing pack on another fantastic Turf Moor night where the performances on the pitch and in the stands were at their absolute best. And it left us on the brink of a play off place that is so well deserved.

It was all so different than the previous few days. The Easter Monday defeat at Cardiff had been a hiccup, particularly with both Swansea and Preston winning. But Saturday had been a horrible day for us with us when we weren't able to do anything about it.

I was hoping for a relaxed afternoon watching Jeff Stelling but that soon changed as the two clubs behind us both went in front with Preston ending up with an almost ridiculous 6-0 scoreline against Cardiff.

Supporters were thrown into a panic, even suggestions that we'd thrown it away. But there we were, still sat in the top six and still a point ahead of Swansea and Preston with a game in hand. There's nothing you can do when you're not playing but having held a seven point lead a week earlier it wasn't the best news to see that lead reduced to just one point.

And so to Monday, and the visit of the Blades for what was expected to be a titanic battle with both clubs very much in need of the points. Harry Potts Way was strangely quiet ahead of kick off but that was never reflected inside the ground where the home crowd were already in good voice, diminished only by the pre-match nonsense of kids' songs and those from down the M65.

Steven Thompson was again ruled out, that was the bad news, but Martin Paterson was back and replaced Jay Rodriguez in the only change from the side that had lost at Cardiff. Jay Rod was back on the bench with Alex MacDonald losing out. Sheffield United were able to welcome back both Stephen Quinn and Matthew Kilgallon in a very strong looking line up.

It almost felt like an Arsenal or a Spurs night, such was the atmosphere inside the ground, now all we needed was another performance like an Arsenal or a Spurs.

We needed a good start and we got it. It was very close to a special start. With less than two minutes gone Wade Elliott collected the ball in his own half and went on a surging run that took him to the edge of the Blade's penalty box. He turned inside Chris Morgan before unleashing a superb left footed shot that came back off the post.

We'd stunned them with the start and we continued to take the game to them with the two central midfielders Elliott and Chris McCann driving us forward, although it wasn't one way traffic and they did have their moments with Brian Jensen having to deal with a couple of early corners after tipping a Clarke Carlisle back header over the bar.

Burnley were always the brighter and more likely though and midway through the half came the breakthrough. It started with, and almost ended with, Rhys Williams. He won a challenge in his own box and the ball was picked up by Graham Alexander who played it to Chris Eagles out wide.

Eagles got forward to win a throw in. From that another throw taken by Robbie Blake, back to Eagles who laid it back again to Williams. The young full back hit in a peach of a cross for Paterson to get to and head home right into the corner. It was so simple but so well executed with both delivery and finish.

Incredibly it was Pato's first home goal since the 3-0 win over Derby in November, and it was a goal that had the Turf was rocking. Initially the only answer from the visitors was a nasty one.

Shortly afterwards Greg Halford shockingly trod on Robbie Blake but referee Laws didn't see it and his assistant on the Longside had already indicated that he was only there on watching brief. Last week Claude Davis received a retrospective three game ban, it will be interesting to see if Halford receives the same.

As the half moved into its last few minutes we were pushed back for the first time and put under some real pressure during which Craig Beattie made a ridiculous appeal for a penalty against Christian Kalvenes. They won a few more corners and I was relieved to hear the half time whistle go, bringing an end to their best spell of the half.

The second half started as the first had ended with Sheffield United, courtesy of numerous balls into our box, were putting us under pressure. You need to be strong in these situations and to suggest Carlisle and Steven Caldwell were strong is an understatement. They dealt with it all, time and time again.

Eventually we got our game going again and whereas our defenders had given Jensen little to do down at the other end Sheffield United were thankful to goalkeeper Paddy Kenny for keeping them in the game.

He made excellent saves from both McCann and Blake after they had set each other up. The first of those saw our little magician Robbie almost pull another rabbit out of the hat. This time from the right following a corner, he worked his way along the goal line before laying it back for McCann. It was a wonderful piece of skill from Robbie with even the Sky commentary team likening him to Lionel Messi.

Then came another brilliant driving run from McCann before he played it inside for Blake. This time Robbie's shot was straight at Kenny, but it was still a good save.

Blackwell's team came back, hitting us repeatedly with big balls into our box as elbows and arms flew everywhere. We were going to have some defending to do but life would have been a bit easier if the over active eye of the assistant had not spotted the ball going out of play as McCann crossed for Paterson. As the striker put the ball into the net up went the flag for a goal kick.

I thought we were comfortable, we'd dealt with everything they could throw at us but it didn't stop the nerves jangling. Heaven knows what my blood pressure was as we conceded another corner. And it must have soared when the fourth official held up the board showing five extra minutes.

In truth we strolled through the added time without much of a problem and when Graham Laws finally blew that last whistle it was the signal for the home stands to go wild.

This was a massive, massive win make no mistake about that. Anything but and the pressure would have got even greater, the doom mongers would have been back out in force, those who thought we'd blown it two days earlier.

It wasn't just a massive win, it was yet another top Burnley performance in a pressure game and we're almost getting used to them. Everyone of the players did what was asked, some even more.

We can only ask that they give 100% and that last night was never in any doubt whatsoever. But look at the quality on display. Any number of them could have won the man of the match but I reduced it down to three candidates, the two central defenders and Chris McCann.

I thought McCann was at his absolute best and in normal circumstances he would have got my vote, but what about Clarke and the skipper in such a difficult game. They were both absolutely immense and for me the vote has to go to Clarke.

Yes a massive win, but we're not there yet. I've thought for some time that 72 points might do it and I think that's still probably the case. But we don't want to chance that, we want that other win. Let's go and do it all again at Southampton on Saturday, anything like the level of performance we showed last night and we'll be in a play off place by the time we return from the south coast.

Top, top performance lads - the blood pressure is back to an acceptable level and I'm enjoying every minute of reliving last night.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes, Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles, Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake (Joey Gudjonsson 80), Martin Paterson (Jay Rodriguez 86). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Michael Duff, Kevin McDonald.

Sheffield United: Paddy Kenny, Kyle Naughton, Chris Morgan, Matthew Kilgallon, Gary Naysmith (Jamie Ward 16), Greg Halford, Nick Montgomery, John-Jo O'Toole, Stephen Quinn (Lee Hendrie 70), Darius Henderson, Craig Beattie (Arturo Lupoli 76). Subs not used: Leigh Bromby, Danny Webber.

Referee: Graham Laws (Whitley Bay).

Attendance: 14,884.