|
Owen Coyle made one change from Saturday, with Clarke Carlisle back from suspension brought back into the starting line up replacing Steven Thompson, Alexander moved back to right back , Elliott right wing and Jordan to left back, the injury to Michael Duff and Chris McCann's illness were enough to keep them out for another important game. Cardiff also had their injury problems with leading goal scorer Ross McCormack missing out through injury, Captain Stephen McPhail suspended and both Peter Whittingham and Tony Capaldi long term casualties.
A win tonight we would see the Clarets move six points clear of Cardiff it was a famous "6 pointer"! After just 90 seconds you got the impression it wasn't going to be all that straight forward. A slick move involving Jay Bothroyd and Wayne Routledge created an opening for Joe Ledley whose shot was tame and straight at Jensen, when he really should have scored. Another chance for Cardiff fell on eight minutes when the hugely impressive Bothroyd turned and shot just wide, I began to wonder whether it was Jimmy Mcllroy or the Cardiff front line who were being given the freedom of the borough.
However slowly Burnley had started it was the Clarets who snatched the lead after 14 minutes, a neat turn and shot from Paterson was palmed by Cardiff's keeper Peter Enckelman, straight into the path of the on rushing Robbie Blake who made no mistake from five yards lashing the ball home, the sign of a good team is to score when your not playing well and we had done precisely that, get in!
The game slowed for the next 10 minutes, with no clear chances for either team, Burnley had several decent opportunities with Eagles and Elliott finding themselves in good positions, but we just couldn't create an opening.
On 26 minutes Cardiff scored a deserved equaliser with a similar goal to the Clarets, Routledge burst through on goal only to have his shot well saved by Jensen. Unfortunately for Burnley just like Blake had been in the right place at the right time, now Bothroyd was for Cardiff and he tapped the ball over the line, to make it 1-1.
For the next 20 minutes Cardiff were on top, Gudjonsson and McDonald were being over run in the centre off midfield by Joe Ledley and Alex Rae, Routledge and Parry looked very dangerous but I felt both Burnley full backs Jordan and Alexander dealt with them very well.
A talking point arose just on half time, when Caldwell cynically hauled down Routledge, who then got up and seemed to make contact with the Burnley skipper, " OFF " "OFF" "OFF", were the cries from the stands and for a minute I thought Mr Webster might satisfy the crowds desires. He didn't a yellow card apiece greeted by boos from the home crowd, although not able to see the reaction from Routledge fully, I felt the referee made the correct decision. I then found myself praying for the half time whistle, a chance for Owen to rouse the troops, make a few tactical changes and send the players out refreshed to continue our assault on the top six.
If Burnley were to get something from the game, they had to become stronger and more competitive in the middle of the park, our defenders were exposed time and time again. My hopes for the second half turned into despair just two minutes after the interval, Bothroyd again with time and space to control the ball fired a shot towards Jensen who parried the ball straight to Routledge who made no mistake, Cardiff led 2-1, now it was time for the Clarets to show their promotion credentials.
With an hour gone Coyle introduced former Cardiff player Steven Thompson possibly unlucky not to start. He replaced the subdued Elliott, with Blake now switching to the right of midfield. The substitution had little impact on the game, with neither team creating clear cut opportunities with Cardiff however still looking the more threatening.
With 15 minutes left a delightful left footed cross from Eagles was flicked on by Thompson and landed at the feet of Blake, his rasping drive was saved brilliantly by Enckelman and tipped onto the inside of the post, a lifetime seemed to pass as the ball trickled off the post and stayed on the line. Cardiff's Roger Johnson was first to react and attempted to boot the ball away, but the only thing Johnson's foot made contact with was the post, leaving Thompson to tap home his first Turf Moor goal, 2-2 surely we couldn't win it, could we?
Both teams had half chances to nick the 3 points with Thompson having the best of them all, a chipped cross by Eagles towards the back post, Thompson was in position to nod home a fairytale winner, only for the header to be as weak as my half time Bovril.
Mr Webster blew for full time and it was certainly a point gained as opposed to two lost, we started the day 3 points ahead of Cardiff and finished the day that way. Owen Coyle would have had to wear a mask and be riding Black Bess during the post match interview if we had snatched a victory. I have no doubt that if we finish with a similar points total to Cardiff we will be in the Playoffs. With players such as Parry, Routledge, Ledley and Rae and with a strike force of Chopra, McCormack and Bothroyd who looks a different player to last season, they will be very hard to beat.
Burnley during previous seasons would have lost games such as this; 2-1 down against a good outfit would have been a bridge too far, but with the belief Owen has installed in the players and the quality he has introduced we fought hard and gained a point which at some periods during the night had looked very unlikely. Saturday brings a very different challenge but one I am sure we will overcome.