The chances are they will be playing a rather different game to that played at Turf Moor yesterday afternoon when wind and swirling rain rendered many of the normal certainties of a football match obsolete. But even in filthy conditions, Burnley produced a dominant performance illuminated by the sort of moments of quality which would grace any match in next summer’s festival of football.
That one of those moments was crafted by a combination of Kieran Trippier and Danny Ings is probably no surprise to anyone who has followed the Clarets this season. That the other, an arcing left footed drive from 20 yards, was produced by Dean Marney was perhaps more unexpected.
Those two moments of quality were enough to give the Clarets a richly deserved victory and set a post-war record of 19 home games undefeated – and in the process come from behind to win for the first time in this remarkable campaign.
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| Dean Marney scored the second with a left footed arcing drive from 20 yards |
It was obvious from the outset that conditions would be a factor. The swirling rain was being driven across Turf Moor on a southerly wind, and within 5 minutes Tom Heaton was forced to usher a wind-assisted right-wing cross over the bar as Millwall adjusted to the tricky conditions quicker than their hosts.
Burnley soon found their feet: first Kieran Trippier slid Dean Marney in down the right hand channel, only for his attempted pull back to be blocked at the near post, before Sam Vokes headed smartly over at the near post after good work by Michael Kightly on the right. Yet Millwall, who had elected to attack their fans in the Cricket Field End during the first half, continued to commit men forwards and their enterprise was rewarded when Martyn Woolford chested down a half-cleared free kick on the edge of the area and volleyed beyond the unsighted Tom Heaton.
But this Burnley team is made of stern stuff, and we were level almost immediately. Trippier’s ball forwards held up in the wind and found its way to Ings, who turned sharply and fired in a left-footed shot from the edge of the area which appeared to take a deflection before finding its way past Millwall ‘keeper Bywater.
The weather worsened, but Burnley pushed on, unimpeded by a wind which was now driving heavy rain into their faces. Scott Arfield’s levels have dropped in recent weeks below the stellar standards he set during the autumn, but here he relished in conditions more suited to his kinsfolk contesting the Calcutta Cup in Edinburgh. Increasingly operating in the centre of the pitch, he, Jones and Marney wrested control of midfield, supplying a steady supply of ball to Kightly and Trippier on the right.
The only problem was that too much of the play was coming down that side in front of the Bob Lord, and indeed it was when Arfield drifted out to the left that we looked most threatening. First he emerged from a ruck to cut the ball back from the by-line, only for Ings to scoop his shot over the crossbar from close range. Minutes later, he cut in from the edge of the penalty area to drift a shot towards the far corner that Bywater clawed away.
The second goal was coming, and it should have come after Abdou’s clumsy – and perhaps inadvertent - challenge cut down Ings in the penalty area. Ings is a fine striker, but he has still to prove his composure from the spot and Bywater was equal to his weak attempt to slot the ball under the ‘keeper’s body.
But seconds before the half time whistle, the goal did arrive. Again Arfield kept the ball alive on the left, and this time his square pass was met by Dean Marney and his crisp finish gave Bywater absolutely no chance.
The half-time whistle went seconds later, the cue for absolutely everyone to cram onto the concourse in search of shelter and warmth, emerging for the second half at the last possible moment when the announcer urged those hardy souls already back in position to welcome the Clarets back to the pitch.
As the rain continued to lash down, the wind continued its steady progression round to the East, conveniently assisting the Clarets’ attacks and thwarting Millwall’s increasingly sporadic forays forwards. Ings had an early shot blocked before Vokes got in down the right and forced Bywater into a sharp save from a tight angle. Heaton kept himself warm by reacting quickly to push away a rare, testing Millwall cross. And then on the hour, Trippier’s perfect, raking pass from full back caught the Millwall defence napping, Ings’ glorious first touch pulled the ball out of the gusting wind on the penalty spot as it dropped over his shoulder and in a flash the ball was poked under the helpless Bywater to seal the win.
Ian Holloway, previously agitating on the touchline, sunk back into the dug-out and despite throwing on Scott McDonald as a fourth striker, the South Londoners never threatened to get back into the game. Indeed it was Burnley who looked to add to their lead. Barnes – getting an extended opportunity after relieving the excellent Vokes - got in a close range shot which was blocked by a defender; twice Kightly had shots well saved by Bywater; and the indefatigable Arfield was denied by a last ditch tackle, before his replacement Stanislas forced Bywater into another excellent save from a late free-kick.
But no matter. Shortly afterwards referee Stroud made his only real mistake of the afternoon in subjecting everyone concerned to 4 unnecessary and bitterly cold minutes of injury time before he finally concluded the formalities, leaving all but 300 in the hardy crowd of 11,500 to acclaim a crucial win to end the recent run of draws.
After two away games, we’ll be back at Turf Moor to start a run of home games which might very well define our destiny this season. Forest, Leeds, Derby and Leicester all visit in quick succession; big table topping games to set the pulses races and which ought to attract bigger crowds.
The challenge was always to be in contention going into the last 15 games, and we’re there: battling it out with the heavyweights of QPR, Forest and Derby for the second automatic promotion places. Now for the momentum and anticipation to build in Burnley. And for that damn wind and rain to stop.