Excellent point against Armstrong inspired Wigan

Last updated : 15 September 2004 By Tony Scholes

Richard Chaplow - magnificent performance in midfield
It was always set to be a tough evening for us against what is one of the strongest teams in the division and yet it could even have been our first ever victory there when we missed a chance in stoppage time when sub Jean-Louis Valois blazed over.

The less than inspirational JJB at least had plenty of grass on it this time round but the dreadful looking ground, and the lack of people who bother to use it, was only lifted by a passionate Burnley support who had a lot to contend with.


That will always be the case when Jason Roberts is on the pitch and it would be a rare treat to watch him try and play football rather than just bully his way around the pitch for ninety minutes.


He has a partner in crime in Nathan Ellington and when they are blessed with a total incompetent as they were last night with referee Paul Armstrong then they do tend to get away with it.

At times it wasn’t clear who was refereeing the game, Roberts or Armstrong, but one thing that was clear was that Roberts could do just as he pleased without any punishment from a referee who could clearly only see one way.


Wigan
started the stronger but we made an early change in our formation, moving Michael Duff into the centre and dropping Lee Roche back into the full back position. Duff was getting exposed down the right hand side and we needed some more pace there.

Once we had settled into that we started to come into the game but the chances in the first half were mainly half chances and it was no real surprise to see us go in at half time with the scores level at 0-0.

Ian Moore was booked just a few minutes before the break, there were no arguments he kicked the ball away, but amazingly not a single home player had seen the referee’s cards.


The weather deteriorated over the half time interval and we found ourselves against a strong wind and driving rain in the second half as well as every decision still going against us.

Wigan had stepped it up but in our first real attack of the half Per Frandsen committed the worst foul of the night to stop Chappy getting down the right hand side.


We got the free kick, Armstrong didn’t even speak to Frandsen but a couple of minutes later out came the card again as Lee Roche was penalised for something and nothing.

The Wigan pressure increased and in a ten minute period we struggled to get a foot on the ball as the game was played almost exclusively in our half of the field. Countless balls were played into our penalty box but we defended superbly and, one chance apart, we kept them at bay.


We did get another dodgy looking yellow card but we saw off the threat and slowly began to get ourselves into the game again. Even Armstrong had to give us some free kicks but he didn’t bother when Graham Branch headed over a Duff cross when clearly being fouled.


We were beginning to look the better side now and in the last few minutes of the game there only looked as though there could be one winner. And it almost happened as keeper Filan failed to hold the ball and it dropped to Valois but he hit his shot high and wide.

That was it and Armstrong brought it to an end and in the final reckoning I think we will consider this to be a well won point.

There were some superb individual performances and for most of them we must look to the defence where Frank Sinclair (back in the side when Trevor returned to Man City) and John McGreal turned in faultless performances.

Danny Coyne, one first half save from a free kick apart, had a quiet night in terms of saves and that speaks volumes for the players in front of him.

I could easily give my man of the match award to any of the defenders but in what was a tough game I thought Richard Chaplow was magnificent in the midfield. He seemed to be here, there and everywhere for us, winning balls deep in his own half, prompting attacks at the other end and on more than one occasion lifting the entire performance.

There weren’t any bad performances – although the people sat behind me seem to think that Robbie Blake is an overrated waste of time – and this was a test very much passed with flying colours.


But I just wish we could beat Wigan.

The teams were,


Wigan
: John Filan, David Wright, Ian Breckin, Matt Jackson, Leighton Baines, Gary Teale (David Graham 67), Jimmy Bullard, Per Frandsen, Lee McCulloch, Jason Roberts, Nathan Ellington. Subs not used: Gary Walsh, Emerson Thome, Alan Mahon, Nicky Eaden.


Burnley
: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Lee Roche (Jean-Louis Valois 82), Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Graham Branch, Ian Moore, Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Ryan Townsend, Joel Pilkington, Matt O’Neill.

Referee: Paul Armstrong (JJB Sports).


Attendance:
9,746 (They can really pack them in at the concrete jungle).