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Bradford, running on pure adrenaline, had given just about as much as nine men could. And Gareth Taylor’s first goal of the season had clearly knocked the stuffing out of them. They were down. They were out. It was time to move in for the kill and seal a second away win.
So what did Burnley do? They sat on a 2-1 lead. No, I couldn’t believe it either. Nor could over 2,500 other Clarets supporters who exhorted their side to get forward, rather than protect their slender advantage. Instead Burnley showboated, passing the ball across the back four, content to hold what they had, rather than press home their advantage.
Almost inevitably, they screwed up. Stan had deemed Steve Davis fit enough to play half an hour – even though "The Skip" hadn’t played any football for weeks, not even in the reserves. In the last minute of scheduled time, Davis played a sloppy pass, which fell to Claus Jorgensen. Holding off the challenge of Ian Cox, his effort was deflected by Beresford. But Marlon was left stranded as Jorgensen played the ball across the Burnley six yard box for Michael Proctor to slot home. Burnley had blown it. And they only had themselves to blame.
Backed by a vociferous and noisy following, Burnley had begun the game reasonably well. The pairing of Taylor and Papadopoulous up front was causing problems for the Bradford defence, and although the Clarets hadn’t created any clearcut opportunities, the signs looked good.
Then Bradford struck. On 17 minutes, Jacobs and Cadamarteri combined well down Burnley’s left hand side. And it was the latter who crossed the ball into the danger area where Andy Gray was able to sweep the ball beyond Beresford. Although that move was probably the best football of the half, it should be pointed out that Bradford were allowed to move the ball around without so much as a challenge from the visitors. Very disappointing.
As the game unfolded it became clear that Papa had the measure of his marker, Mark Bower. Time and again he troubled him with his pace, and it was no surprise when Mr. Dean produced his yellow card for a mistimed challenge. On the half hour mark, Bower erred once too often. Whether or not the challenge was all that bad was up for debate. But the only man who counted decided Bower must shower.
The game opened up a little thereafter, and both Gareth Taylor and Dimi might have done better with half chances. At the other end, Danny Cadamarteri should really have doubled the Bantams’ advantage with a free header, which Beresford did well to keep out. But the interval arrived with Bradford a goal to the good, but a man down.
The second half saw Stan try and change things, bringing on Alan Moore and Robbie Blake (who received a similar reception to that afforded to Andy Cooke the other week), to replace Papa and Mark McGregor. Things got better for the Clarets when Cadamarteri smashed his elbow into Dean West’s face as they both jumped for the ball. Over an hour to play, and the hosts down to nine men. Would we ever get a better opportunity to win a game of football?
Meanwhile, Blake was causing mayhem in and around the box, and it was fitting that he fired home Burnley’s leveller, as Lee Briscoe’s deep cross was rescued by Dean West, who set up Blake. Over half an hour left and we were level.
Steve Davis was introduced around the hour. And he, along with Taylor, Little and West all had presentable chances to put Burnley ahead. At the other end Andy Gray was allowed an alarming amount of space and time to give Bradford what would have been a shock lead. Fortunately for Burnley, Gray chose to submit his contender for gaff of the season, dragging his effort wide.
On 75 minutes came the moment we had all been hoping for as Gareth Taylor rose to meet Glen Little’s inch-perfect cross to give the Clarets the lead. We waited for the re-start, expecting a claret and blue onslaught. Instead, Burnley failed to crack on, as Stan might have put it, and having decided Bradford were no threat, elected to put together 20 pass moves…all along the back four. The travelling support grew increasingly restless with this tactic and were not slow to let the team know.
If it wasn’t the back four doing keepy-uppies, then it was Paul Cook, the side’s supposed playmaker, putting a foot on it and slowing things down, when exactly the opposite was required. Alan Moore, having done his statutory back-heel reverted to his role as invisible man and didn’t want to know. Which left Robbie Blake, my man of the match, as the only one trying to make things happen. With time running out Davis made his costly error and the Burnley supporters were left with a lot of pent-up anger, most of which was vented on the players as they headed for the sanctuary of the dressing room.
Post-match, Stan Ternent didn’t seem particularly bothered at what had happened. After saying that we needed to be more professional (then why weren’t we?) and expressing his disappointment, he said that he preferred to concentrate on the positives like being six games unbeaten and getting a point. Strangely enough, none of the Burnley fans I spoke to mentioned anything about being unbeaten in six. And they certainly weren’t crowing about having taken a point against nine men.
The relationship between the players and the fans has been soured by the former’s lack of ambition to kill Bradford off. How quickly that relationship will be restored is entirely down to the players. One thing is clear – the players owe us big time. And they can start this Saturday with three points against Wimbledon.