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But it matters not a jot in the final analysis, Clarets got the win, moved up to eleventh in the process and saw off a dogged Coventry side who gave their all in trying to get something from the game prompted throughout by their midfield general McAllister.
Thankfully, Stan elected to remain with the victorious team and formation that had seen off Spurs in midweek, Little therefore starting a game played in mild conditions and beginning in Autumnal sunshine.
It was the visitors that made the better of the start and Marlon was at his most agile best when superbly finger tipping Hignett's shot across goal on seven minutes. Clarets could not get a head of steam going at all, their passing poor, movement sluggish and the only air being circulated emanated from referee Jones' whistle, nit picking his way through the game and supported by Coventry's rigid off side trap.
Little conceded possession on ten minutes and it nearly cost Clarets dearly. He could be very thankful to Beresford who once again made a top drawer save, tipping Hignett's curled shot from twenty yards around his left post, the former Rover reminded of his dubious past with his every touch.
Briefly, Clarets came to life and Blake again showing neat footwork around the box, created an opening from which his shot was tame. The next action came on the quarter hour and led to the Clarets opening goal, Little felled by Dean Gordon as he was tricked in the area, the resulting penalty an easy one to give for Mr Jones. Penalty honours seem now to have been relinquished from West and Blake scored his seventh goal of the season when sending Debec the wrong way from twelve yards.
McAllister was creating most of Coventry's openings and a superb up field pass picked out the sixpence that Mills was stood on, his first touch was good but Arthur and Marlon combined to snuff out the danger before Branch calmly carried the ball out of the area. The game was hardly one of a flowing nature, that had a muting effect on the crowd and the eight hundred or so Sky Blues who made the journey.
Coventry themselves had claims for a penalty on the half hour mark, but live wire Partridge's manoeuvre over Little's leg was adjudged a dive by Mr Jones and the little winger was later booked for his misdemeanour once play stopped minutes later.
Clarets briefly came to life, Arthur having a shot at goal and Robbie Blake continued his neat approach play, but there was nothing sustained about Clarets play at all, yet strangely they doubled their lead ten minutes from the break, courtesy of a rare event indeed, a Tony Grant goal.
West pumped a long free kick into the area which was half cleared, the ball falling to Grant, who for once advanced, swapped passes with Blake before taking the ball on and slotting the ball under Debec, Hignett gleefully reminded of the score line.
Something clearly snapped in the former Rovers’ mind and his choice of English was clearly not to Mr Jones' liking, issuing a straight red card to Hignett, the game now put on a plate for the Clarets, two to the good and a man advantage to the break, Clarets looked like they had it sorted and but for Briscoe's deliberations over the ball when in acres of space five minutes from the break, half time could and should have arrived with a three goal margin, despite Coventry reducing their defensive line to only three at the back, caution tossed into what wind there was in the ground.
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Chippo and McSheffrey were put straight into action, replacing Mills and Caldwell and Coventry took the game to the Clarets who, for their part, seemed content to sit back and absorb the pressure.
Ten minutes in and a yellow circle engulfed Mr Jones as he waved away Coventry penalty protests following Branch's clumsy tackle in the area.
In a strange choice of substitution, Stan replaced Blake with Papa.... on the hour mark, yet it was Coventry who continued to press and Konjic headed straight at Beresford when well placed, before Branch gave the visitors a lifeline, needlessly committing himself to a silly tackle on Davenport as the defender was going away from goal and out of the area.
McAllister like Blake beforehand kept his cool and sent Marlon the wrong way from the spot with twenty-five minutes remaining.
Papa.... wasted a good opening in an immediate reply but it could and should have been two - two on seventy minutes as Clarets defended like schoolboys down their right letting Coventry through on goal and could be thankful for a woeful finish that the lead was preserved.
Safri was replaced by Eustace as Coventry tried to maintain their energy levels, whilst for the Clarets energy was a commodity they were not prepared to use in any great volume such was the laboured way in which they moved the ball around, typified by Weller who simply wanted an age when alone in the penalty area, allowing Chippo to get a firm tackle in and a rare chance was gone.
It was therefore a fluke goal that sealed the win, when five minutes from time Taylor's cross cum shot looped up off the outstretched leg of Davenport leaving Debec stranded in goal as the ball found the net and everyone in Claret could then breathe more easily with the two goal cushion restored.
Stan chose to make easy substitutions late in the game Maylett replacing Little and Ian Moore for Taylor before McAllister and Marlon pitted their wits against one another in the final minute, Beresford equal to the free kick cunningly curled around the wall, before Mr Jones thankfully blew for one last time, this a game I will care not to remember for very long.
Att:- 13,470
Star Gazer
Lee Briscoe. An unimpressive display of misguided passes and pointless runs. Sometimes his midfield displays dispel the rumour that he is a better full back but this was not one of those. Today he gave a display typical of the team - half hearted, frustrating and lacking in quality.
Glass Half Empty
There were far too many examples of sloppy play for comfort and it was a day of frustration watching the game go by. There seemed to be no recognition of the fact that Clarets had a man advantage or a plan of attack throughout the second half to make the most of this advantage.
Star Geezer
Robbie Blake. Whilst only on the field for fifty five minutes, this allowed sufficient time for him to once again display his skills of timeliness when on the ball and link play with his team mates. It's amazing that whatever the situation he finds himself in on the pitch, he is always able to create that yard of space, use the ball cleverly and rarely does the ball leave the ground when he passes it.
Glass Half Full
If Clarets can play as poorly as this and still win it bodes well. Back up to eleventh in the table, at least there have been fewer bookings of late, so the suspensions issue is not as large as it looked to be earlier in the season.