Brian Stock, I think, was stationed around the half way line as Burnley players poured forward in the hope of getting on the end of a free kick in the box. Eventually, Cameron Stewart, on as a late substitute, dropped back but I was screaming for us not to commit too many players forward, not to leave ourselves exposed for a late counter.
I, like every other Burnley fan, had been left frustrated by the home side's late comeback to 3-3 in a game we should have had won. A second successive 4-3 defeat on the road would have been difficult to take.
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| Outstanding performance from Chris McCann |
But as the free kick came in, McCann, right in front of the Burnley fans, headed home the winner from a tight angle as madness broke out on and off the pitch. The players headed for the corner as the pandemonium continued in the backless seat stand, and Lee Grant, not wanting to miss out, stormed the full length of the pitch to join in.
Burnley had won. It was our second away win of the season in the Championship and the second time it's been secured late in the game.
Make no mistake this was no undeserved win. We were the better side against what can only be described as a disappointing Bristol City who, I don't think, caused us any major problems all night other than from set pieces, mainly brought about by some very generous decisions from referee Lee Collins who didn't appear to have a grasp of the idea that there were two teams playing who should be treated equally.
Just before going into the ground I received the team news. No surprise, same again, and Luke O'Neill replacing an injured Marvin Bartley on the bench. So it was a surprise when Martin Paterson stepped out to start the game.
The news quickly filtered through that Ross Wallace had pulled up with a tight hamstring in the warm up. Paterson was quickly drafted in with Danny Ings, back from knee surgery, winning the place on the bench.
Unbeknown to me until getting home was that the same problem hit Bristol City. Stephen Pearson was forced out at the last minute and replaced by former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris who McInnes brought with him from St. Johnstone.
I suppose the question on everyone's lips in the away end was whether Charlie Austin would continue this remarkable scoring run. Ahead of kick off there had been just two games he's played in this season - Huddersfield away and Brighton at home - in which he hasn't scored.
We didn't have too long to wait to get the answer to that particular question. We'd started the better and we hadn't seen too much of the play down at the end where were situated, just behind Lee Grant's goal.
Bristol City had a couple of difficult moments but they were beaten in only the ninth minute of the game. Chris McCann, who for me had his best game since the home Premier League game against Everton, played a ball through for Austin. He opted to go round goalkeeper Tom Heaton and his shot had too much for the backtracking defender.
There'll be more on Austin's current goalscoring exploits later, but, suffice to say, his name was on the scoresheet again and Burnley were in front.
We'd seen precious little of the home side but then referee Lee Collins intervened, and not for the last time. He awarded a free kick against Michael Duff just outside the box. Duff couldn't believe the decision and if I was to be kind to the referee I'd say it was soft, in truth it was a poor decision.
There was nothing poor about the striker from former Derby striker Steve Davies as he hammered the free kick home to level things up.
That led to a bit of pressure from Bristol City. For a good ten minutes or so they had us on the back foot but we scrapped and got the balls away and such was the defending that I can't recall Grant being called into any real action.
They were winning far too many free kicks from this over generous homer of a referee and another sailed just off target. But, by the time we got into the latter period of the half we'd exerted our authority on proceedings again.
Maybe 1-1 at half time was a fair scoreline. Had either side deserved to be in front, overall, it was us, but I think we were all happy with the way things had gone in that first half and I certainly thought there was every chance of getting something from the game although I did expect the home side to get at us in the second half.
Albert Adomah is often a thorn in our side and they'd also got Brett Pitman on the bench. He has a habit of coming on and scoring against us so there were some warnings there.
As it happened, we came out after the interval and took control of the game. Bristol City weren't really in it. All it needed was a goal but we went one better and got two in a minute.
Austin played a major part in both goals, playing first time passes to help create the openings. He scored the first of them too after McCann's header was handled. I thought a hammered shot into the top left was the likely outcome; he rolled it into the bottom right hand corner with some aplomb.
With the way he's scoring goals right now the posts must have looked about 20 yards apart to him, and he was quickly back in the action, playing in McCann whose ball across found Paterson. The striker got his third goal of the season via a deflection.
I just couldn't see how Bristol City would get back into it. They weren't offering much but, 3-1 down at home, we had to expect them to come at us.
They got back into it with a penalty. There didn't even appear to be any appeal from their players but referee Collins, who really turned it on for Bristol City after our third goal, pointed to the spot. Sam Baldock scored from the spot and with twelve minutes to go it was 3-2.
We got right to the last minute of normal time. Sam Vokes was waiting to come on as our third substitution and they got themselves a very soft looking free kick. Adomah crashed it against the bar and Paul Anderson, once of Liverpool, scored the equaliser.
Cue more chants of 'Let's all laugh at Burnley' from our right but I was more concerned that, with five minutes to be added on, we didn't concede another. I wanted us to keep it tight, but our team never do what I want.
We came pouring forward looking for a winner and when McCann's header went in it was our third attempt on target in stoppage time. The Cider Army went quiet poor souls. They were down, they were beaten and the Burnley fans were rampaging up and down the steps, over the backless seats in pure joy.
Winning away games is always very special, getting the winner right at the end, as we've done twice this season, is just about as good as it gets. It was fitting that it was McCann who got it.
Everyone celebrated at the end. The players came over, the fans were demanding more. Pato gave his tracksuit top to a fan but there was no sign of the acting manager Pashley. He'd made his way to the other end and up the tunnel.
Maybe last night was the end for Terry Pashley's Claret and Blue Army. If so, then a big thanks for presiding over two wins that were needed.
We'll play better sides than Bristol City, no doubt about that. We'll have much tougher games. We'll play better and we'll win more games, but that late, late winner certainly sent everyone home laughing and with massive smiles on their faces. Except for the Cider Army that is. They weren't laughing at anyone any more.
The teams were;
Bristol City: Tom Heaton, Mark Wilson, Liam Fontaine (Louis Carey 55), Stephen McManus, Richard Foster, Albert Adomah, Jody Morris, Cole Skuse, Joe Bryan (Paul Anderson 64), Sam Baldock, Steven Davies (Ryan Taylor 64). Subs not used: Dean Gerken, James Wilson, Brett Pitman.
Burnley: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Brian Stock, Dean Marney, Chris McCann, Martin Paterson (Danny Ings 78), Charlie Austin (Sam Vokes 90+1), Junior Stanislas (Cameron Stewart 87). Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Luke O'Neill, David Edgar, Joseph Mills.
Yellow Cards: Michael Duff, Brian Stock, Chris McCann, Ben Mee.
Referee: Lee Collins (Surrey, but surely not too far from Bristol).
Attendance: 11,836 (including 361 Clarets).