Clarets suffer third home reverse

Michael Duff, fresh from his heroics for Northern Ireland against Spain, was left out of the starting line up with captain Wayne Thomas returning from suspension to partner John McGreal at the back. Otherwise it was same again from the side that had drawn at Palace and we lined up with the same formation, with Kyle Lafferty on the right and Steve Jones on the left.

As at Palace, we dominated the opening exchanges, but we weren't in the same sort of form but benefiting from a Colchester side that looked to have absolutely nothing to offer and certainly a side that was showing no adventure whatsoever.

Midway through the first half the score remained at 0-0 but we should have been in front, although clear cut chances were at a premium as time and again the final ball proved to be our downfall. The nearest we had come to a goal was from a couple of half chances with the goalkeeper having no problem in dealing with them.

Yes, we should have been in front, but with 26 minutes on the clock we incredibly fell behind to a side that, one early shot apart, had not even looked interesting in the idea of scoring a goal. After Jones gave the ball away we were caught out by a long diagonal ball, and when Brian Jensen was unable to cut out the cross it left Kevin Watson with an easy chance from close range.

It stunned the crowd, who for the first time all afternoon made some noise, but we continued in much the same way as before, dominating but hardly causing them too many problems and the frustration was growing both on the pitch and in the stands. As we approached half time a number of cross field passes were strongly booed as the fans demanded more going forward.

That half time whistle blew with Colchester probably unable to believe they were in front but they were and we really needed to step it up in the second half to get ourselves back into the game.

Within ten minutes we had a mountain to climb as Colchester doubled their lead in controversial circumstances. We were caught out when Alan Mahon gave the ball away, Colchester really should have done better in a three against two situation, but John McGreal got back to win the ball from the forward.

That's how it seemed to just everyone on the ground, that is except for the assistant referee who stunned everyone by putting his flag across his chest to indicate a penalty. Referee Olivier was obviously not certain and even gave his assistant the chance to reverse his decision by going over to talk to him, but a penalty it was and Chris Iwelumo made no mistake from the spot.

Burnley players were still seething at what they really thought was an injustice but we had no option but to get on with the game and try to get back into it with some goals and just a few minutes after the penalty Steve Cotterill decided to change things, bringing on Gifton Noel-Williams, Duff and Wade Elliott for Lafferty, Frank Sinclair and Jones.

Gifton was the first to come on and I sat in total embarrassment at the shameful booing that echoed around the ground. Had I been him I would have just walked off and gone home, no player should have to put up with that from his own supporters. It really was nothing short of a disgrace.

As it turned out, Gifton gave us a lift and was probably as good a player as we had on the pitch in the last half hour as we dominated even more than we had done in the first half hour. And he certainly came closer to a goal than anyone else with a superb volley on the turn that was kept out with the save of the match from Davison.

He put a header over from an Elliott cross and set up other opportunities. Where were those who had abused him just earlier? That's right, suddenly silent.

With about four minutes to go he should have done better with a shot, he scuffed it and the keeper was able to save easily, and then Gray grabbed that goal and we had those last few minutes to get a second and a point. It didn't come, with Gray's header straight at the goalkeeper the nearest we came and the final whistle blew to signal another home defeat.

The assistant referee, whose decision to give the penalty had influenced the result, must have had a train to catch. I've never seen anyone leave the field so quickly but he was hanging around for no one and shot up the tunnel before anyone else got close to it.

Overall the officials had been poor, and yes they did appear to get a vital decision wrong, but we need to be taking a close look at our own performance. It simply wasn't good enough, we failed to create much against a rank bad side that will surely be back in League One next season.

We made it too easy for a side that had absolutely nothing to offer, and there's no doubt we are going to have to be a lot sharper for the visit of Barnsley on Tuesday night, a side that will play more football in the first five minutes than Colchester did all afternoon.

It really was a disappointing performance, one where it is just about impossible to pick a man of the match. Micah was without doubt the best player on the pitch for the first half hour but he disappeared after that although certainly no one did enough to take the honour.

We've waited two weeks for a game after that superb performance at Palace, it wasn't worth waiting for, this really was a massive disappointment.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair (Michael Duff 60), Wayne Thomas, John McGreal, Jon Harley, James O'Connor, Micah Hyde, Alan Mahon, Kyle Lafferty (Wade Elliott 60), Andy Gray, Steve Jones (Gifton Noel-Williams 59). Subs not used: Stephen Foster, Chris McCann.

Colchester: Aidan Davison, Greg Halford, Wayne Brown, Pat Baldwin, Chris Barker, Richard Garcia, Kem Izzet (John White 44, George Elokobi 82), Kevin Watson, Karl Duguid, Chris Iwelumo, Jamie Cureton (Kevin McLeod 78). Subs not used: Dean Gerken, Jamie Guy.

Referee: Ray Olivier (West Midlands).

Attendance: 10,039.