It was also the first time we have failed to score and for much of tonight it had 0-0 written all over it as we struggled to create much whilst showing once again that we are going to be much stronger at the back.
It was an unchanged side with Danny Coyne having passed a late fitness test and it was the Clarets who got on top in the opening exchanges without really testing goalkeeper Mike Pollitt.
Little was seen of the home side in attack with the Clarets again looking strong defensively but going forward we weren’t able to create that clear cut chance. A couple of headers wide and then Chappy got in a superb cross from the right but Branchy headed over.
A piece of Robbie Blake magic on the right hand side saw us come close. His first touch was brilliant as he collected a pass from John McGreal and he turned to hit his shot just wide.
We needed a goal whilst on top but it didn’t come and we began to lose our way somewhat although at no stage did the home side look as though they were going to get back into it.
They brought one save out of Coyne and that was about it and as in the closing period of the half it was the Clarets who got back on top and Pollitt had to be alert on more than one occasion to keep out shots and headers.
We had been the better of the two sides during the first half and would probably have gone in at half time disappointed not to have been in front.
There were some strange occurrences during the half time interval. Half time scores were read out and the pitch was amazingly visible without a covering of thousands of cheerleaders.
We needed to keep pushing forward at Rotherham as the second half got underway but that didn’t happen as the home side came strongly into it. And we had Coyne to thank just a few minutes in as he made an excellent save to deny former Claret Paul Shaw.
It set the pattern and we found ourselves having to do a lot more defending and hardly anything was seen of us as an attacking force.
There was no real pressure from
Into the last ten minutes and the expected last onslaught from the home side never came and it was
Just as it had done at half time the one minute minimum time added on came to an end after forty seconds as referee Foy brought it to and end and another point.
There’s no doubt that we are looking so much stronger at the back than last season. The two central defenders and the goalkeeper were our best three players again tonight and what a contrast that all is to the defensive shambles in our last away game of last season also at
The two central defenders worked together well again and both are looking to be excellent signings and with Coyne in goal it really is so much better.
We needed strengthening at the back but for now that has been done at the expense of the attacking side of the team and it is fair to say that tonight we rarely looked capable of scoring a goal.
That will need to be addressed if we are to make any real progress this season – there was no width and Robbie will just start to run around in circles unless we can get someone to play up there with him.
But after all it is
So there won’t be too many complaints and anyhow we remain unbeaten even if Steve Cotterill is still waiting for his first league win with the Clarets. For that to happen we need to create more up front. It might just happen at
The teams were,
Rotherham: Mike Pollitt, Robbie Stockdale, Chris Swailes, Phil Gilchrist, Scott Minto, Chris Sedgwick, John Mullin, Darren Garner, Paul Shaw, Michael Proctor, Richie Barker. Subs not used: Gary Montgomery, Paolo Vernazza, Rob Scott, Paul Warne, Paul Hurst.
Burnley: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Micah Hyde, Graham Branch, Ian Moore, Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Lee Roche, Matt O’Neill, Joel Pilkington, Ryan Townsend.
Referee: Chris Foy (
Attendance: 6,243