Clarets are true to Coyle's words

Last updated : 22 October 2008 By Matt Evans
Wade Elliott
Wade Elliott - Man of the Match
The Clarets produced a stirring second half display to overhaul Coventry's dubious interval lead, established when Elliott Ward fired home a hotly disputed penalty in the 40th minute.

Michael Duff lashed home from close range in the 52nd minute after the home side struggled to deal with a Burnley corner. And the visitors turned the screw late on with inspired substitutes Robbie Blake and Chris Eagles scoring a corker apiece to cement the Clarets' second away win of the season and send them to sixth in the table.

And on this second half showing, a top six side is exactly what Coyle's Clarets are.

It's worth recalling the manager's pre-match words. "When games are tight," he said, "I think it's important to push on and try and win the game, rather than sitting back. That's never going to be our way."

It sounds so simple but, in truth, Burnley made things tricky for themselves with a first half display way short of the standards reached on Saturday against Birmingham.

Both teams were unchanged from creditable weekend performances and word in the home stand was that Coventry were unlucky to have returned from league leaders Wolves empty handed.

The Sky Blues looked spritely enough early on and had a definite threat from the wings with Michael Mifsud and Jay Tabb augmenting strikers Freddy Eastwood and the pacy Leon Best.

Eastwood and Wade Elliott traded testing early strikes at both ends and following Burnley's first corner Elliott crossed well for Chris McCann to head over.

"Mosquito" Mifsud was indeed an irritating presence for Duff, buzzing around his blind side persistently. He gave a taste of what was to come in the eighth minute with a teasing cross along the six yard box which thankfully evaded everyone.

Burnley's passing was sloppy at times and the home side were presented the ball too easily. From one such mix-up between Steven Thompson and Graham Alexander, Michael Doyle intercepted before sending a 20 yard shot inches wide.

The Clarets also conceded too many free-kicks, though referee Mike Thorpe, no stranger to this fixture having presided over Coventry's 1-0 win here two seasons ago, did not offer much leniency in this regard.

Burnley's better moments usually revolved around the ever willing Elliott. From one of his crosses, Martin Paterson hit the target with a header before the two reversed roles only for Elliott to sky his shot.

Elliott then whipped in a super ball into the Coventry box that Duff was only a whisker away from touching in and five minutes later the Burnley defender was in the thick of the action at the other end.

Michael Doyle released Mifsud wide on the left and the pint-sized Maltese cleverly cut inside the penalty area and Graham Alexander was adjudged to trip him as he came inside. I was sat a fair distance away but my immediate reaction was he was looking for it. Alexander went ballistic and Duff appeared to raise his hands to a home player as the incident sparked a mini melee and the referee's assistant got involved. At first I thought he might be changing Mr Thorpe's mind but the outcome of their little chat was a yellow card for Duff.

Jensen guessed the right way but Ward's penalty was too well struck and the third he has converted this season.

The way Burnley set about their hosts in the second half reminded me of the way we took the game to Watford when we scored within a minute of the restart.

I was a little disappointed we hadn't made a change at half-time. Gudjonsson was quiet in the first half and Eagles coming on for a balanced 4-4-2 seemed like a decent shout.

Indeed, Eagles was stripped to his shorts within five minutes of the second half but he soon sat down again after Burnley restored parity.

Coventry right-back Isaac Osbourne received a yellow card for poleaxing McCann and moments later he conceded a corner, deflecting away Elliott's ripping centre. From the resulting flag-kick, Caldwell appeared to be used as a step ladder by a Coventry defender but any penalty claim was soon deemed redundant as Duff rifled the loose ball into the roof of the net from close range. He responded with the old hand to the ear and celebrated down the length of the Coventry stand. Redemption indeed.

It was just the spark the Clarets needed and Coventry responded too as both sides looked intent on going on to win it.

Christian Kalvanes had another steady game and he could count himself unlucky to receive a booking in the 62nd minute for foul on Coventry substitute Robbie Simpson who was trying to latch onto a woefully short pass from Gunnarsson.

Hearts were in Clarets mouths a minute later when Daniel Fox drifted in from the left and clipped a shot inches wide of Jensen's right hand post. Then Scott Dann also went close but his header shaved the wrong side of the post.

Irish international Clinton Morrison replaced a disappointing Best as the home side enjoyed a decent spell. Jensen was involved in a rare moment of panic when he flapped at a ball he should have collected but Caldwell, outstanding in the second half particularly, helped out with a clearance.

We had cause to lament Thompson's limited goalscoring prowess when Elliott put a peach of a cross on his head to no effect but he almost made us eat our words in the 77th minute with a dogged run that saw him wriggle through Coventry's defence only to send his left-foot shot agonizingly wide.

With Eagles, Blake and Rodriguez thrown into the mix, there was no doubting Coyle's intent. Unlike Saturday, Paterson stayed on too and Coventry appeared overwhelmed by Burnley's attacking options.

Rodriguez showed great hold up play to present a chance to Eagles but he powered his effort high and wide. Within a minute though, Eagles was all composure, collecting a ball from Elliott before running at Coventry's defence and slipping a perfectly weighted through pass for Blake to lift over the onrushing 'keeper and into the corner of the net.

The subsequent celebration saw Blake reveal his pink underpants to the wildly celebrating Burnley fans. It was particularly gratifying to see Blake, written off by a minority of Burnley fans after his less productive cameo on Saturday, combining so sweetly with Eagles.

As if to reinforce the point, the two doubled up again in the 90th minute for a wonderful third goal. This time Blake turned provider, switching the ball expertly from the right flank before Eagles danced infield and despatched a curling shot beyond Westwood from 20 yards.

It was no less than the Clarets deserved for their superior workrate and more vibrant football in the second half. Some of the stuff we played in the final 10 minutes was breathtaking and Eagles must be knocking very loudly on the manager's virtual door after the impact of this performance.

Man-of-the-match was a close call. Caldwell gave us strong leadership and showed the right authority in defence but the initials WE adorn my notes from top to bottom. Wade never stopped tonight and we really ought to have profited on his excellent service more than we did.