If you're proud to be a Claret …..

Last updated : 13 November 2008 By Tony Scholes
Ade Akinbiyi
Ade Akinbiyi - scored the equaliser that led to us winning the game
It really was a fairytale night and I'm still trying to realise the enormity of the second of those Brian Jensen penalty saves that silenced three sides of Stamford Bridge and led to over 6,000 in the Shed going absolutely crazy.

In my wildest dreams I could never have forecast that, and having slept on it the emotion of last night hasn't disappeared one iota I can promise you. It is all in contrast to the nervousness some hours earlier when we left Burnley by coach, wondering what was in store and hoping we didn't suffer at the hands of Chelsea as some Premier League clubs have already done this season.

A reasonably uneventful journey included a stop in the High Wycombe area before we hit the traffic going into London. Still, we'd plenty of time ahead of the game and there was no problem. Our discussions on the way had suggested we'd all be very happy no matter what the result as long as we did ourselves justice. I said I just wanted to be able to leave with my held high, nothing more, you really couldn't ask for any more.

I'd four tickets with me. I had to go to the ticket office to change the one for Dave, I had to find Simon to pass his on after he'd flown in from Belfast and I had a concern with Alan who was some way behind us.

We found Simon thanks to some assistance from the police and the other two problems were resolved by some of the most courteous and helpful football club staff you are ever likely to come across. Well done Chelsea Football Club, and do you know all the staff spoke English without even a hint of Russian.

I last stepped inside Stamford Bridge in 1982 for a Second Division game. Manager Brian Miller gave the game a miss that afternoon because he'd gone to check on our League Cup quarter final opponents. The attendance that day was a staggering 8,184 so it is safe to say the much changed ground looked a lot different last night as the 41,000 plus made their way into the seats.

I really didn't know what to expect, and when the teams were announced I have to admit that the home team line up was very worrying indeed looking at the quality on show, and they'd included the likes of Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel on the bench as an insurance policy.

For us it was fantastic to see Alex MacDonald and Adam Kay named on the bench alongside Jay Rodriguez and I hoped that they might all get on towards the end, probably once we knew our fate. As for the starting eleven there were no surprises from Owen Coyle. Michael Duff came in for the suspended Clarke Carlisle whilst Martin Paterson was back in for Steven Thompson who was cup tied.

Coyle had promised we would be adventurous and we were the first to show before an assistant's flag brought the attack to an end. We looked to get forward at every opportunity and could with a bit of luck got us an early goal.

But Chelsea really should have gone in front when they broke through our back line and found themselves with only Brian Jensen to beat. But the keeper pulled off a brilliant save to deny Salomon Kalou.

It was exciting stuff and we were very much playing our part, but I always thought things might just get a bit more difficult for us when Lampard replaced the injured Juliano Belletti midway through the half.

And they did. Almost immediately Lampard found Didier Drogba. The striker beat Duff and then hit a perfectly placed shot between two Burnley players into the corner of the net. We'd held them for just short of half an hour.

The remainder of the first half was at times difficult and the home side really could have got themselves another goal. But we defended well to a man and deserved that bit of good fortune right on half time when the ball came back off the bar.

Behind at half time but we'd done just about everything anyone of us could have asked and we were certainly giving Chelsea a more difficult night than they perhaps thought it would be.

I thought we stepped it up after the break, but there was nothing to lose. Chelsea had one or two worrying moments in their own penalty box in front of an incredible away end that seemed to be getting louder and louder.

With an hour gone we made our first change and it was no surprise to see one of the forwards go off, it is what happens in most games. What was a surprise was that Martin Paterson was replaced by Ade Akinbiyi who hadn't featured since the home win against Blackpool in September. Having said that, only last week Owen Coyle said he was still very much a part of his plans.

I think everyone knows what I think about Ade and I just allowed myself a moment to dream that he would score the goal that would win us the game. Dreams come true you know.

Robbie Blake played a major part with a terrific ball for Chris Eagles who got down the left and saw his ball into the box parried by Carlo Cudicini but only as far as Ade. It seemed to take an age before Ade's shot hit the net, but it was one of those moments I'll never forget. We'd got ourselves back into the game at Chelsea, and I never thought I'd be writing that.

Ade showed us his torso again and was promptly and correctly (because of the ridiculous rules) yellow carded. But he didn't seem to care and neither did we. Chelsea 1 Burnley 1 it said on the scoreboard, I couldn't take my eyes off it.

From that moment on it was our night. Even if we'd gone on to lose 6-1 they couldn't take that goal away from us, nor could they take away the spirited performance we'd given. No matter what happened we were winners.

Chelsea went in search of a winner but we defended brilliantly. They missed a chance close to the end of the ninety minutes but nobody, absolutely nobody, could have denied us our right to an extra half an hour.

For much of that extra time Chelsea had to play with ten men. They'd used all their subs and di Santo, who had come on for Drogba during the second half of normal time, couldn't continue.

What a tense thirty minutes it was. Alan Mahon, another to be introduced during the second half for his first action in weeks as Coyle went for experience, and then our third substitute Kevin McDonald almost got through but at the other end they were putting us under some pressure.

As that clocked moved closer to the end a glorious defeat would not have been fair, we'd done enough to at least get a shot at the penalties. Referee Stroud made it more difficult for us when he sent off the inspirational Steven Caldwell. The referee had really had an excellent game but it wasn't what we wanted just then.

But we battled out way through one way or another and when the final whistle blew it was all to be decided by penalties to be taken at the far end right in front of the Chelsea fans.

Did we have a hero? It could only be Jensen but here he was up against some top players. Some couldn't watch, others did nervously.

Alexander scored (1-0)
Lampard scored (1-1)
Mahon scored (2-1)
Jensen saved from Bridge (2-1)
Eagles scored (3-1)
Kalou scored (3-2)
McDonald scored (4-2).

All we needed to do now is score our last penalty OR Chelsea fail to score one of their last two and the party could start.

Ferreira scored (4-3)
Elliott blazed over (4-3)
Malouda scored (4-4).

I felt for Wade, I feared that miss might well have cost us. Ade went to console him before he reached the rest of the players, but once there to a man they clearly supported him.

Now to sudden death.

Duff scored (5-4)
Jensen saved from Mikel and the whole place went mad. The players rushed to Jensen at the far end as the shaking Shed end went wild. Eventually the players came down to the fans, joined by Coyle his staff and the unused subs and those who had gone off. Clarke Carlisle, who had apparently been trying his hand at radio commentary suddenly stormed on.

We'd beaten Chelsea - yes we'd beaten Chelsea. I know it sounds far fetched, but it really had happened. What a night.

It was amazing, the whole night was amazing and one I don't think any of us will ever forget. I'm still excited by it all hours after arriving back home in Burnley.

I've seen some wonderful games watching my club but this one is up there with them. I've come back from games over the years angry, excited, disappointed, worried and just about every other emotion. But today that pride I've always had for the Clarets is simply bursting.

Thanks lads for one very special night, and a special thanks to Ade and the Beast who provided the very special moments with the goal and the penalty saves.

Man of the match? For what it's worth I've given it to the simply brilliant Steven Caldwell, but we'd a whole host of candidates out there.

And if your still not so sure whether to believe it all or not, the draw for the next round is this Saturday. Burnley ARE in it but Chelsea are not.

Come on you Clarets!!

The teams were;

Chelsea: Carlo Cudicini, Paulo Ferreira, Alex, Branislav Ivanovic, Wayne Bridge, Carlos Mineiro, Salomon Kalou, Juliano Belletti (Frank Lampard 25), Deco (John Obi Mikel 45), Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba (Franco di Santo 68). Subs not used: Henrique Hilario, John Terry, Michael Woods, Scott Sinclair.
Yellow cards: Didier Drogba.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Graham Alexander, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson (Kevin McDonald 97), Chris McCann, Chris Eagles, Robbie Blake (Alan Mahon 76), Martin Paterson (Ade Akinbiyi 60). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Adam Kay, Alex MacDonald, Jay Rodriguez.
Yellow cards: Steven Caldwell, Ade Akinbiyi, Chris Eagles.
Red Cards: Steven Caldwell.

Referee: Kevin Stroud (Hampshire).

Attendance: 41,369 (including 6,100 Clarets).