Clarets so unlucky in Cardiff

Is it any wonder people hesitate at the thought of going to Ninian Park, it proves to be problematic year on year. It wasn't all one way though, some Burnley fans were clearly seen and heard racially abusing some coloured Cardiff fans outside the ground before the game, whilst the home fans disregard for the minute's silence on Armistice Day was an absolute disgrace.

Don't be fooled into believing the propaganda that this was from the away end, the only Burnley fans to make any noise were those still coming through the turnstiles unaware that a minute's silence was being held. And why were they still coming through the turnstiles? Because getting in was being made as difficult and as painfully slow as possible by stewards and there being only one turnstile open for the entire away support.

We weren't the only ones to suffer at the hands of authority either; our players did with a scandalous ninety minutes of refereeing from Premiership referee Peter Walton. For the second week in succession we had a referee drafted in at the last minute, this time after Chris Foy cried off unwell.

Foy was punished recently for missing that appalling dive by Tottenham's Didier Zokora, and relegated from the Premiership. If Keith Hackett and his team were to take a look at this performance then I don't think Walton would get a game in the Burnley Sunday League this side of Christmas.

Steve Cotterill said recently that you can only look at putting in a good performance, that winning and losing can be subject to a piece of good or bad fortune, or a poor decision. That being the case, I think we can have no complaints because that's exactly what we did, we turned in a good performance that on most other days would have brought us home with some points.

Since Cardiff were promoted in 2003 we have now paid four visits to this 1970s ground, that at least gives football fans what they really want with some terracing. We haven't scored on any of those visits, have conceded eight goals and lost all four.

The first of them was when we were fighting for our lives in April 2004, this was the most inept of performances on a day when all our relegation rivals were picking up points. And for the last two years we've hardly covered ourselves in glory with two very disappointing performances that have led to the defeats.

I was sort of getting used to leaving Ninian Park after a poor day, but this time it was different, very different. Yes we lost, but if we were to play this way for the rest of the season then rest assured we wouldn't lose so many more. Despite what Dave Jones wants to say, he knows as does everyone else there who has any understanding of the game at all, how desperately unlucky we were to lose the game.

My thoughts on the journey down were that we might try to play a tight game. I had the team selection spot on, with Wayne Thomas returning and Chris McCann moving into midfield to replace the suspended Micah Hyde, but it was evident very quickly that I was way off with my ideas on how we might play as we took the game to Cardiff.

We were moving the ball nicely and twice we nearly got on the end of Wade Elliott crosses, one of them coming after a superb cross field ball from James O'Connor. We were the better side so it came as something of a shock when we went behind with what was probably Cardiff's only real chance of the afternoon until the last few minutes.

The ball fell to Riccardo Scimeca just outside the box and his shot beat Brian Jensen to his left. It left Andy Gray frustrated, and worse still it was getting on referee Walton's nerves so he yellow carded him for this newest of offences.

We did lose our way for a short while, the incisive passing of the first twenty minutes had gone, but there was never much likelihood of us falling further behind. It was hardly a surprise, the scoreline was difficult to take in, but we got ourselves moving again and Gray had a chance following a McCann cross but the ball bounced away from him.

A goal down at half time, I did think we could still get something from it, and how we gave it a go after the interval. Defending the end where the Burnley fans were, we so little of the action at our end as we pushed harder and harder for an equaliser but the closest we came was from a free kick on the left.

It came after James Chambers tried to rearrange Steve Jones' legs, the free kick from Alan Mahon (on as a substitute) was deflected and goalkeeper Neil Alexander under pressure from his own players could only punch the ball down. Thomas stuck out a leg and hit the ball against the underside of the bar. Referee Walton blew for a free kick but that was for a foul by Michael Duff AFTER the ball had hit the bar.

We pushed men forward and it nearly cost us a goal when Michael Chopra, who I must remind you used to play for Newcastle, broke clear only to put his shot over. Our last half chance fell to McCann whose shot was saved before the final whistle brought that unbeaten run to an end.

Make no mistake, we were able to leave Ninian Park with our heads held high after this performance, and the applause for the players was a genuine response from the fans for what they had given us. And there were some good performance, none more so than once again from Duff.

Take a bow son, take a bow, as one commentator would say. Duff's form right now must surely be as good as any central defender in the Championship. He's playing alongside different players match by match but it has had no effect on his performances. For me yesterday he was our man of the match by some distance in a good overall team performance.

It's difficult again next week, it's West Brom at the Hawthorns, but if you get the chance to go then get your ticket and get there, I can promise you that if we play like we did yesterday then it will be well worth watching.

The teams were;

Cardiff: Neil Alexander, James Chambers, Darren Purse, Glenn Loovens, Kevin McNaughton, Paul Parry (Willo Flood 34), Riccardo Scimeca, Stephen McPhail, Joe Ledley, Kevin Campbell (Roger Johnson 74), Michael Chopra (ex-Newcastle). Subs not used: Mark Howard, Malvin Kamara, Chris Gunter.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Wayne Thomas, Michael Duff, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Alan Mahon 66), James O'Connor, Chris McCann, Steve Jones, Gifton Noel-Williams (Kyle Lafferty 82), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Danny Coyne, Stephen Foster, John Spicer.

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

Attendance: 15,744.