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Crystal Palace created little more, despite having the lion's share of possession, and Brian Jensen dealt capably with everything that came his way. Half time arrived with the impression that we were watching two fairly poor sides, and the atmosphere created by a crowd 9000 fewer than our last visit in may matched the occasion.
If the first forty five minutes were instantly forgettable, the second half opened with a veritable flurry of incident. First, Jamie Scowcroft, who had been booked in the first half, received a red card for the use of an elbow, two minutes in, and then, six minutes later, Shaun Derry was given the second of two quick yellow cards, for a foul in midfield, and off he went.
Eleven against nine, surely the Clarets would take advantage. Certainly Palace immediately settled for a point, and the Beast was hardly troubled for the rest of the game. Burnley must have had seventy per cent of the possession, but the final through ball, or the final cross, was never good enough. Blake came on for Michael Duff in what was presumably an attacking move, and, later, Joey Gudjonsson replaced McDonald, but still, despite long range shots and plenty of corners, the goal would not come. McCann did get the ball in the net after 75 minutes, but the effort was disallowed, probably for a push, although my vantage point three rows from the front did not give me the best of views, and the big screen wasn't working.
The supporters around me were clamouring for Ade Akinbiyi to come on to partner Paterson up front, and, sure enough, Ade did appear...to replace Paterson! It was still one-way traffic, but it became increasingly obvious that it wasn't going to be our day, and our frustration was increased by the needless bookings of Paterson, McDonald and Clarke Carlisle.
It isn't often that we're drawing away, and dreading the final whistle, but that was the case here, and when the referee ended the four minutes of added time, the few hundred Clarets fans did not give their team a particularly warm reception. The Palace fans' reaction to the final whistle was a mixture of applause for their players and, of course, abuse of the referee Williamson.
So, we're off the mark, but the fact that we didn't win this game is worrying. Much has been made of Owen Coyle's desire to play exciting, attacking football, but today there didn't seem to be a lot of understanding in midfield, and Paterson remains desperately lacking in support. The defence was better today, but one wonders what might have happened if Palace had not self-destructed.
Three games, one point, one goal. Although it's very early days, Next Saturday's game against Plymouth is, for me, of massive importance.
