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Unusually tonight's ordeal came after the final whistle. Upon leaving Turf Moor the clutch in my father's car disintegrated quicker than our Premier League survival plans and we had to trail the rest of the way home at a measly 15 miles per hour. Thankfully our performance tonight did manage to get out of first gear though. In fact it was an excellent all-round performance and one that really showed how far we've come since we last played our Yorkshire "namesakes".
Two years ago we suffered a double setback to the Tykes, although the national press probably still reported that we won at least one of them. Tonight there was only one team in it. From the moment Chris Eagles gathered the ball out right and swung in a deep early cross inches away from Jay Rodriguez' desperate lunge you just sensed it could be a great night.
Only when big Leon Cort rescued us after an embarrassing defensive lapse seconds later was that ever in doubt.
Despite referee Haines making several strange decisions, including booking Tyrone Mears for a foul which had everyone in the home end shaking their heads, and avoiding making any call at all when Jay Rod was "clothes lined", Burnley gradually turned the screw. If there was any doubt which team was Burnley and indeed which team had just come down from the Premier League, the standard of play made it pretty obvious to all present. Even the Americans in the crowd (my sons!) could tell the difference and what do they know about "soccer"?
Only the score line suggested this was a contest. Nil-Nil at half time was a travesty. Chris Eagles had run the show. Whoever has taught him to cross early and get the ball in where it hurts deserves a knighthood. What a difference it makes to see him producing end product. No blind alleys tonight (okay once he ran into a crowd of five Barnsley defenders but we'll let that one slip). This is the Eagles that Manchester United might just rue letting go in years to come.
Thankfully it didn't take long to get off the mark in the second half. Eagles again ran former Claret Jay McEveley ragged and after he swapped passes with Wade Elliott he cut inside Jason Shackell and bent a beauty past Luke Steele in the visitors' net. It was a goal worthy of winning any game, yet there was more to come and it came quickly.
Not long later McEveley went down unchallenged and had to be stretchered off. It looked like a serious injury for the defender whose loan spell at Turf Moor ended in similar circumstances. Hopefully it was just a ploy to avoid having to spar with Eagles anymore.
From that moment on it was all one way traffic. Moments later Rodriguez squirmed the ball against the base of the post after great work from a resurgent Mears. The rampant Clarets weren't to be denied though and once the ball passed through the influential Jack Cork and Elliott, Eagles floated in another dangerous cross. A defender's arm blocked the path of the ball and Eagles gleefully collected the ball and smashed home the spot kick with aplomb. At two-nil you sensed blood. As Eagles frantically pushed for his hat trick, Burnley's dominance had Barnsley against the ropes.
Rodriguez and Big Chris Iwelumo both went close, before we hit the woodwork after tremendous work by Mears. Not long later the ball broke to Iwelumo and the hit man noted for his aerial prowess showed he can shoot too, with a Rush-like finish to end the game as a contest.
There can be no doubt that Chris Eagles shone brightest in this game. But in truth it was a great team effort. The whole team played superbly well and tonight the football was flowing. There were no weak links. Even debutant fullback Brian Easton showed some real glimpses of class, although the big Scot will be glad to have got his nerves out of the way in such a comprehensive team performance.
The day after Gordon Strachan resigned after spending a fortune at Middlesbrough, Brian Laws' side looked like a confident, well drilled, solid team with skill in abundance. You know I really am starting to think we have exactly the right manager for the job. With performances like these he'll win over the fans sooner rather than later.
On Saturday I'm hoping to take the "Yanks" back for some more Turf Moor hospitality. They've already got a taste of what it's all about. Maybe someday they'll be back to take over the club. At least it's in their blood.