When Johnrose was released at the end of last season, it was widely assumed that it was because he was past his best, too injury-prone or simply because the club needed to reduce the wage bill in light of the ITV Digital collapse. What, it was asked, had changed between now and then, particularly as Barry Kilby had insisted that money would only be made available in the event of, “a dire emergency”?
Nobody would have been asking such questions had Lenny’s header, midway through the second half, crashed into the back of Paddy Kenny’s net, instead of thumping against the Sheffield United crossbar. Stan Ternent has often remarked that the margin between success and failure is a thin one. On Saturday, that margin measured roughly six inches. But Johnrose’s header was typical of the bad luck suffered by the Clarets.
Behind to a deflected Iffy Onuora strike at the interval, it would have been easy for them to let their heads drop, particularly after such a poor start to the campaign. But to their enormous credit, Burnley came out fighting and played their best football of this embryonic season.
Wave after wave of attack washed over Sheffield United in the second half. And Lenny wasn’t the only unlucky one. Glen Little was foiled on more than one occasion by the annoyingly excellent Paddy Kenny. Gareth Taylor went agonisingly close with a couple of trademark headers And Ian Moore could only look on despairingly as Robert Kozluk cleared his goalbound effort off the line.
The 76th minute introduction of Andy Payton saw the majority of Turf Moor give him a standing ovation. If anyone was going to grab that vital goal, then surely it was the Padiham Predator. But not even Payts was able to cut through a stoic and resolute Blades’ backline. One wondered what impact he might have had, had he been introduced to the action a little earlier. But then, hindsight is a wonderful thing…
On a day when Burnley’s attacking play dominated post match conversations, the performance of the Clarets’ central defensive pairing should not be underestimated. Ian Cox and Mark McGregor were giants amongst men, repelling almost everything the visitors had to offer, save for a fortuitous deflection, and Cox even initiated a couple of attacks. So impressive were they, that Steve Davis’ absence was not felt. In fact if the pairing continues to perform well in the regular skipper’s absence, one wonders how or if Davis will force his way back into the side.
Come five o’ clock, we might have been bottom of the league. We might have only scored one goal. And we might have been without even a single point. But the level of performance against a stubborn and obdurate Sheffield United side had greatly heartened all those who had witnessed it. That same level of performance is required against Reading on Tuesday evening.