|
LegoLand disaster for Clarets
This was a shocker that left a big away following in angry mood as they left the dreadful Keepmoat Stadium at the end with most of that anger pointing in the direction of the strange looking line up and formation.
Heaven knows why we changed a winning formula for the last two games, but yesterday we employed something very similar to the jiggery pokery system we tried back in August. It didn't work then and it most certainly didn't work at Doncaster.
I know Joey Gudjonsson isn't everyone's cup of tea but with Kevin McDonald unable to get himself fit he's without doubt our best option in midfield. To leave him out and field a side with only one recognised central midfielder looks pure folly to me.
The day had started well enough. A trouble free journey without the enforced detours that made the Bristol City trip a difficult one, and the pre-match stop for lunch proved to be an excellent one.
We were in plenty of time as we parked up, but oh dear what an awful place. Now I've been to the old ground at Belle View and I certainly wouldn't be recommending a return to anything like that. But this place is just as bad as you are going to get for a new 'Airfix Model' style football ground in an awful setting. Just be very thankful we don't have to play our home games in a ground like that and in such an awful location. Mind you, they do have a lake to drown yourself in when times get bad.
Inside the players were warming up. Alex MacDonald was out on the pitch but there was no sign of Kevin McDonald. Otherwise it was the same as the Barnsley game and once the warm up started in earnest it was evident that we were starting with the same eleven.
It all got off to a decent start. After one Doncaster attack we dominated the early period of the game and won a good few corners. Wade Elliott was down the right, Chris Eagles on the left and Robbie looked to be playing in the middle behind striker Martin Paterson.
With ten minutes or so gone it was all looking good. Robbie had come closest to opening the scoring and nothing had been seen of Doncaster. Probably we should have brought the game to an end then because it didn't get better for Burnley after that, it got considerably worse.
About a quarter of an hour in we were counting ourselves lucky to still be level after an horrendous mistake by Clarke Carlisle let in Paul Heffernan. Now I know one-on-one situations are Brian Jensen's forte but he took it to a new level with this one. This was simply outstanding and he got enough on it to see it go wide for a corner.
The game was changing, Doncaster were getting themselves on top. They were beginning to take control in the middle of the pitch and by now I had no idea who was playing where. Certainly Wade looked to have settled into a central midfield role.
Again we were thankful to the Beast for keeping us level. He made another good save to keep out a shot from the very impressive James Coppinger. Getting to it was one thing, getting a good hand on it to push it well out of the danger area was quite another.
Nothing much was being seen of us but in an isolated attack we almost took the lead. Martin Paterson broke clear only to be upended by the less than cultured Matt Mills.
I'm at the far end so the view isn't perfect, but I have to admit to being surprised that the Kettle didn't boil at this one. With Burnley fans chanting, "Off, off, off" he didn't even bother with his yellow card.
Robbie took the kick and from the moment it left his boot I thought it was in. His former Leeds team mate Neil Sullivan didn't have an earthly of getting to it but it hit the underside of the bar and Doncaster were still level.
But we weren't playing very well by now and you sensed we were only one mistake away from going behind. Then, in a two minute spell, we lost the game in a flurry of appalling mistakes.
Firstly Stephen Jordan got himself in a knot but looked to have got himself out of it as he hooked the ball away. It was never going to be a good ball but it thankfully went straight to Carlisle who headed clear. Well, heading clear was the idea but he placed his header absolutely perfectly for Coppinger who was never going to look this gift horse in the mouth.
Before we'd come to terms with being 1-0 down we found ourselves 2-0 down and a man down as well. They went past the shocking Carlisle as if he wasn't there and so his defensive partner Steven Caldwell pulled the forward back.
There could be no arguments at the penalty award and there could be no arguments about the red card. Brian Stock sent Jensen the wrong way as the keeper went down to his right, but with another Doncaster player having encroached almost beyond Stock the referee ordered a retake.
This time Jensen went to his left but Stock hit it to his right and the game was well and truly up for Burnley.
We got to half time without further problems with a hastily reorganised line up and there was no option after half time that we had to push forward and try to salvage something for a not very good Doncaster side.
Martin Paterson had the first opportunity but shot tamely from an angle at Sullivan, but Doncaster could so easily have extended their lead only to be denied again by Jensen who tipped a shot over his bar.
Almost with the next move following that save we got ourselves back in the game. Elliott went on a barnstorming run through the middle. He looked to have run out of options before finding Paterson on the right hand side. The striker stepped inside the defender before curling into the far corner.
Game on possibly. Sadly it was not to be although there was a very strong shout for a penalty. It came almost immediately after an amazing incident when the referee actually sent off a spectator in the stand to our left. He'd ensured we couldn't get the ball back to take a throw in, Kettle was having none of it and ordered the stewards to remove him from the ground.
From that throw we got the ball into the box and it certainly looked very much like a handball to me. It wasn't given and with it I think went our best chance.
We made a couple of substitutions but nothing changed, Doncaster looked comfortable enough and we weren't creating anything, although any decision could have been given following a clash between Sullivan and Eagles.
The goalkeeper elbowed Eagles who responded by kicking out at him. Kettle saw absolutely nothing, the assistant saw the retaliatory kick and awarded Doncaster a free kick. Had he seen the elbow as well then the flag would surely have been going across his chest. But it was a free kick to Doncaster and having seen nothing Kettle took no further action other than to speak to both players.
Joey Gudjonsson, on for McCann who had played carrying an injury, shot over and that was the only shot at goal from us that I can recall in the half hour following our goal. We really didn't offer much and there's no doubt that Doncaster deserved to win it.
I'm still trying to work out how we could have gone from the team that won at Bristol City, and had turned in such a memorable performance at Sheffield United in the away game before, to this performance. It really was awful and horribly disjointed.
Man of the match. Absolutely no doubt whatsoever for me. I thought Blake and Paterson played well enough, and Elliott worked manfully in the midfield. Our two full backs were constantly exposed because we had no width further up the pitch and they certainly had difficult afternoons.
But I said there was no doubt and there wasn't. Brian Jensen kept us in the game with two top saves at 0-0 and then on more than one occasion kept the score down. It was another outstanding display from the goalkeeper.
We were second best yesterday, and a poor second at that. We need to get back forget these two games now, reorganise and get back to winning games.
The teams were;
Doncaster: Neil Sullivan, James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Sam Hird, James Chambers, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens (Gareth Roberts 88), Martin Woods, John Spicer (Gareth Taylor 82), James Coppinger, Paul Heffernan (Adam Lockwood 90). Subs not used: Mark Wilson, Lewis Guy.
Yellow Cards: Paul Heffernan.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann (Joey Gudjonsson 69), Robbie Blake (Steven Thompson 76), Wade Elliott, Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson. Subs not used: Diego Penny, Alex MacDonald, Alan Mahon.
Red Cards: Steven Caldwell.
Yellow Cards: Stephen Jordan, Clarke Carlisle.
Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).
Attendance: 14,020 (including 3,080 Clarets).
Heaven knows why we changed a winning formula for the last two games, but yesterday we employed something very similar to the jiggery pokery system we tried back in August. It didn't work then and it most certainly didn't work at Doncaster.
I know Joey Gudjonsson isn't everyone's cup of tea but with Kevin McDonald unable to get himself fit he's without doubt our best option in midfield. To leave him out and field a side with only one recognised central midfielder looks pure folly to me.
The day had started well enough. A trouble free journey without the enforced detours that made the Bristol City trip a difficult one, and the pre-match stop for lunch proved to be an excellent one.
We were in plenty of time as we parked up, but oh dear what an awful place. Now I've been to the old ground at Belle View and I certainly wouldn't be recommending a return to anything like that. But this place is just as bad as you are going to get for a new 'Airfix Model' style football ground in an awful setting. Just be very thankful we don't have to play our home games in a ground like that and in such an awful location. Mind you, they do have a lake to drown yourself in when times get bad.
Inside the players were warming up. Alex MacDonald was out on the pitch but there was no sign of Kevin McDonald. Otherwise it was the same as the Barnsley game and once the warm up started in earnest it was evident that we were starting with the same eleven.
It all got off to a decent start. After one Doncaster attack we dominated the early period of the game and won a good few corners. Wade Elliott was down the right, Chris Eagles on the left and Robbie looked to be playing in the middle behind striker Martin Paterson.
With ten minutes or so gone it was all looking good. Robbie had come closest to opening the scoring and nothing had been seen of Doncaster. Probably we should have brought the game to an end then because it didn't get better for Burnley after that, it got considerably worse.
About a quarter of an hour in we were counting ourselves lucky to still be level after an horrendous mistake by Clarke Carlisle let in Paul Heffernan. Now I know one-on-one situations are Brian Jensen's forte but he took it to a new level with this one. This was simply outstanding and he got enough on it to see it go wide for a corner.
The game was changing, Doncaster were getting themselves on top. They were beginning to take control in the middle of the pitch and by now I had no idea who was playing where. Certainly Wade looked to have settled into a central midfield role.
Again we were thankful to the Beast for keeping us level. He made another good save to keep out a shot from the very impressive James Coppinger. Getting to it was one thing, getting a good hand on it to push it well out of the danger area was quite another.
Nothing much was being seen of us but in an isolated attack we almost took the lead. Martin Paterson broke clear only to be upended by the less than cultured Matt Mills.
I'm at the far end so the view isn't perfect, but I have to admit to being surprised that the Kettle didn't boil at this one. With Burnley fans chanting, "Off, off, off" he didn't even bother with his yellow card.
Robbie took the kick and from the moment it left his boot I thought it was in. His former Leeds team mate Neil Sullivan didn't have an earthly of getting to it but it hit the underside of the bar and Doncaster were still level.
But we weren't playing very well by now and you sensed we were only one mistake away from going behind. Then, in a two minute spell, we lost the game in a flurry of appalling mistakes.
Firstly Stephen Jordan got himself in a knot but looked to have got himself out of it as he hooked the ball away. It was never going to be a good ball but it thankfully went straight to Carlisle who headed clear. Well, heading clear was the idea but he placed his header absolutely perfectly for Coppinger who was never going to look this gift horse in the mouth.
Before we'd come to terms with being 1-0 down we found ourselves 2-0 down and a man down as well. They went past the shocking Carlisle as if he wasn't there and so his defensive partner Steven Caldwell pulled the forward back.
There could be no arguments at the penalty award and there could be no arguments about the red card. Brian Stock sent Jensen the wrong way as the keeper went down to his right, but with another Doncaster player having encroached almost beyond Stock the referee ordered a retake.
This time Jensen went to his left but Stock hit it to his right and the game was well and truly up for Burnley.
We got to half time without further problems with a hastily reorganised line up and there was no option after half time that we had to push forward and try to salvage something for a not very good Doncaster side.
Martin Paterson had the first opportunity but shot tamely from an angle at Sullivan, but Doncaster could so easily have extended their lead only to be denied again by Jensen who tipped a shot over his bar.
Almost with the next move following that save we got ourselves back in the game. Elliott went on a barnstorming run through the middle. He looked to have run out of options before finding Paterson on the right hand side. The striker stepped inside the defender before curling into the far corner.
Game on possibly. Sadly it was not to be although there was a very strong shout for a penalty. It came almost immediately after an amazing incident when the referee actually sent off a spectator in the stand to our left. He'd ensured we couldn't get the ball back to take a throw in, Kettle was having none of it and ordered the stewards to remove him from the ground.
From that throw we got the ball into the box and it certainly looked very much like a handball to me. It wasn't given and with it I think went our best chance.
We made a couple of substitutions but nothing changed, Doncaster looked comfortable enough and we weren't creating anything, although any decision could have been given following a clash between Sullivan and Eagles.
The goalkeeper elbowed Eagles who responded by kicking out at him. Kettle saw absolutely nothing, the assistant saw the retaliatory kick and awarded Doncaster a free kick. Had he seen the elbow as well then the flag would surely have been going across his chest. But it was a free kick to Doncaster and having seen nothing Kettle took no further action other than to speak to both players.
Joey Gudjonsson, on for McCann who had played carrying an injury, shot over and that was the only shot at goal from us that I can recall in the half hour following our goal. We really didn't offer much and there's no doubt that Doncaster deserved to win it.
I'm still trying to work out how we could have gone from the team that won at Bristol City, and had turned in such a memorable performance at Sheffield United in the away game before, to this performance. It really was awful and horribly disjointed.
Man of the match. Absolutely no doubt whatsoever for me. I thought Blake and Paterson played well enough, and Elliott worked manfully in the midfield. Our two full backs were constantly exposed because we had no width further up the pitch and they certainly had difficult afternoons.
But I said there was no doubt and there wasn't. Brian Jensen kept us in the game with two top saves at 0-0 and then on more than one occasion kept the score down. It was another outstanding display from the goalkeeper.
We were second best yesterday, and a poor second at that. We need to get back forget these two games now, reorganise and get back to winning games.
The teams were;
Doncaster: Neil Sullivan, James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Sam Hird, James Chambers, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens (Gareth Roberts 88), Martin Woods, John Spicer (Gareth Taylor 82), James Coppinger, Paul Heffernan (Adam Lockwood 90). Subs not used: Mark Wilson, Lewis Guy.
Yellow Cards: Paul Heffernan.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann (Joey Gudjonsson 69), Robbie Blake (Steven Thompson 76), Wade Elliott, Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson. Subs not used: Diego Penny, Alex MacDonald, Alan Mahon.
Red Cards: Steven Caldwell.
Yellow Cards: Stephen Jordan, Clarke Carlisle.
Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).
Attendance: 14,020 (including 3,080 Clarets).