Clarets too good for Owls

Last updated : 19 September 2007 By Tony Scholes
It was just pure Robbie
In some ways it was a game I wasn't looking forward to. I've been watching Burnley for long enough to know that we have this amazing ability to give struggling sides a kick start. On Saturday I was hoping Wednesday would get something at Deepdale.

I simply didn't want to turn up at Hillsborough with them still not having won a point, so for more than one reason I didn't appreciate Preston's win on Saturday and going over to the Steel City last night we all seemed to think this was where they might get off the mark. Nothing about our players, it is just something we are so used to happening.

Not this time, and once we'd gone in front just a quarter of an hour into the game there was no return for a home side who are so lacking in confidence that you suspect our former right back Brian Laws is on borrowed time, particularly given the hiring and firing record of their chairman Dave Allen.

But right now we don't care about Laws or Sheffield Wednesday, we care about Burnley and getting points. Steve Cotterill made two changes to the side that started the draw with Blackpool and it was no surprise that those changes came in goal and on the left hand side of midfield. Goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly was preferred ahead of Brian Jensen and Kyle Lafferty, back from suspension, got his first start of the season in that left side position with neither Jon Harley nor Steve Jones even making the bench.

For the third successive away game we came out of the traps quickly and took the game to the home side although we failed to create much in the way of openings during the opening exchanges. There were a couple of efforts wide and a couple of misplaced passes but nothing too much to get excited about apart from one chance for Kyle that eventually deflected for Andy Gray who couldn't find the target.

In fact, the first on target effort on goal came at the other end, right in front of the Burnley support and from Francis Jeffers of all people. It forced a good save out of Kiraly, probably the best save of the night as he got down to his left to save with his legs.

That served only to get Burnley forward and within a minute of Kiraly's save we were in front. Wade Elliott got the ball in from the right but a home defender got to it first but could only push it into the path of our number 20. From then it was pure Robbie. In one turn he sent a defender the wrong way and that opened it all up for him and he netted his first league goal of the season with a left foot shot into the corner that gave Lee Grant no chance.

A goal up, the booing started in the home sections of the stand with much of the abuse aimed at the chairman and not the manager or his players. You sensed that once we'd got in front this lot were there for the taking and things could have been even better a minute later when Kyle came close to doubling the lead with a long range shot.

We really got on top and we probably should have got a second in the next twenty minutes or so. Grant saved Robbie's next effort, Kyle had another effort blocked and then missed what looked like a good chance.

When Wednesday did get forward they were wasteful and for much of the time we dealt comfortably when they got close to or inside our box. The only real concern was when Etienne Esajas flashed a ball across our box from their left which someone almost got on the end of. Good cross, no just a badly hit shot that almost paid dividends.

By half time we looked more than comfortable and we just needed more of the same in the second half and surely a second away win of the season would be ours. We just had to ensure that they didn't come out and get at us in the first few minutes.

Unfortunately that's exactly what they did, an immediate attack that led to a corner. It came to nothing but within a minute we had another goal, and this time it was all over as we doubled our lead.

There's no doubt it came from a mistake by Wednesday's right back Frankie Simek. Almost on the goal line and within a few yards of the corner flag he lost possession of the ball to Robbie. From then it was pure Robbie. He moved towards goal, almost along the line, with Simek catching him.

But he waited his moment and then slid the ball perfectly for the onrushing Chris McCann who hit a first time shot, through the legs of Richard Wood and in. I remember Chris missing a sitter right in front of us at Hillsborough two seasons ago, this time there was no mistake, no heads in hands, just celebration on pitch and stand. 2-0 to the Clarets and we were on our way.

To be honest the game got a little bit scrappy after that. The referee didn't help and infuriated the Burnley fans with a series of yellow cards that left the visiting support thinking he was something of a homer. But we were giving away probably too many needless free kicks and from one Wednesday came as close as they were going to come to getting back into the game.

Carlisle conceded it not too far outside our box and Kenny Lunt hit the effort goalwards. Kiraly was quick and agile and got to it to make a good save, tipping it round for a corner. Laws changed his two forwards and Jeffers left to a familiar chant from the Burnley fans, apparently he will always be one.

They were never getting back into this game though, and as we made our own substitutions we just allowed the clock to run down. One or two were getting a bit frustrated, but the scoreboard to my right was displaying 'OWLS 0 BURNLEY 2' and that meant when referee Taylor finally brought it to an end after five minutes of stoppage time the points were ours.

That's what we went for, and that's what we got. That was more than good enough for me from a game I feared we might lose. Yes, Wednesday look a poor outfit right now, they look to be playing with very little if any confidence. But they still had to be beaten, and we beat them.

We've played better, we'll probably play better and lose. But it was good enough to beat Wednesday and by some distance. There were good individual performances too. I thought defensively we restricted them to nothing but scraps. The central defenders did well and I'm getting more and more impressed with Stephen Jordan.

Man of the Match - come on did you need to ask? Some might have questioned it, most of us didn't, but if you wanted to know why Steve Cotterill was happy to shell out £250,000 to bring Robbie Blake back to Burnley this was it. He scored one expertly, he set up the second one brilliantly, and he inspired all night. Robbie was my man of the match by some distance.

So having taken on the bottom club we now travel to play the club currently top of the league - see you all in Brizzle on Saturday.

Finally, and on a very personal note. I lost a very good football friend of mine recently. Brian Lucas, who I travelled to away games with for many years and sat with at home games died on Saturday 8th September. I'm dedicating this win to you Brian.

The teams were;

Sheffield Wednesday: Lee Grant, Frankie Simek, Steve Watson (Richard HInds 45), Richard Wood, Tommy Spurr, Wade Small, Kenny Lunt, Glenn Whelan, Etienne Esajas, Francis Jeffers (Deon Burton 60), Akpo Sodje (Marcus Tudgay 60). Subs not used: Rob Burch, Jermaine Johnson.

Burnley: Gabor Kiraly, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann (Joey Gudjonsson 74), Kyle Lafferty (John Spicer 82), Robbie Blake (Ade Akinbiyi 83), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, David Unsworth.

Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire).

Attendance: 18359.