Miserable finale

Last updated : 07 May 2007 By Tony Scholes
Paul McVeigh - scored our last goal of the season
This was very much the 'end of season' game, played with little urgency, and with little desire, that struggled to raise too much enthusiasm throughout its ninety minutes. Probably the most surprising thing were the three goals scored, we were predicting a 0-0 draw after just the first few minutes of play.

There was hardly a tackle, as too many players looked to be going through the motions, and I don't think many of us would have spotted so much as a foul if the card happy Phil Joslin hadn't kept unnecessarily interrupting anything. How on earth he managed to find as many yellow cards as he did only he will know.

Steve Cotterill made three changes to the Burnley side that had played at the Stadium of Light last week. One of them was expected with Joey Gudjonsson coming in for the injured Chris McCann whilst the other two were certainly less predictable. Ade Akinbiyi was surprisingly preferred to Paul McVeigh and there was a big surprise on the left hand side of the midfield with Alan Mahon in for Steve Jones for his first game since February.

I thought we started brightly enough, some good crisp passing in the midfield, Eric Djemba-Djemba showing us a few tricks that would have filled Showboating on Soccer AM, but it was soon obvious this was going to be many a mile away from the performances of the last three home games.

Neither side could muster anything resembling a goal scoring opportunity other than one half chance at each end, that was until Ade was put clear down the right hand side by Eric. He got onto the ball superbly and had support coming through the centre. I'm not saying his second touch was poor, but for one minute I wondered whether it was Ian Moore or John Francis. It was an awful touch, I can't kick the ball that far, and the chance was gone.

By the time he had another chance we were behind. The initial problem was Jon Harley diving in and committing himself, and although there were chances to prevent the shot we never seemed to get ourselves organised and eventually Michael Mifsud for once stayed onside and on his feet and scored.

Even then we should have gone in level at half time. Ade, again receiving the ball from Eric Djemba-Djemba fired wide from the left hand side and that just about brought the half to an end, and Ade's afternoon to an end as he and Mahon were both substituted at half time with McVeigh and Jones coming on. This was now the team that was on the field when we scored our two goals at RK Sunderland.

We needed an early equaliser and it should have come. A good move that started on the left hand side eventually presented Wade Elliott with a clear shooting chance inside the box. We know now that Wade can hammer them in from distance but he was way off target with this one when at worst he should have been working the goalkeeper.

It proved very costly because within no time Coventry doubled their lead but whichever way you choose to look at this it was offside. I don't care what they've done to make the offside law more difficult to understand, this was offside. Mifsud was some distance offside when the ball was played through. I know he didn't play it but he went to play it and at that point the flag should have gone up. Incredibly it didn't and Jay Tabb, who had been in an onside position, latched onto it and scored.

That seemed to give us a bit of a spur and we pulled one back when McVeigh latched onto the ball, tricked goalkeeper Marshall and slotted home. For a while it lifted us but ultimately there was nothing left in this particular Burnley tank and for much of the remainder of the game Coventry had little problem in holding on to their lead.

There was one last chance, and a good one at that, when a cross found Wayne Thomas. But the defender headed over from close range and our final game ended in disappointment. I suppose that just about sums up the season as a whole.

I'm not so sure I could nominate a man of the match to be honest - I don't think anyone stood out although I find it difficult to disagree with the sponsors choice of Eric Djemba-Djemba even thought it is becoming somewhat predictable.

This was a game that had you looking forward to the close season, the players looked as though they'd had enough and that soon led to a total lack of disinterest in the stands. We need that break, we need to strengthen the squad, and we need to be back brighter than ever in July.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Wayne Thomas, Steven Caldwell, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Joey Gudjonsson (John Spicer 75), Alan Mahon (Steve Jones 45), Andy Gray, Ade Akinbiyi (Paul McVeigh 45). Subs not used: Danny Coyne, Graham Coughlan.

Coventry: Andy Marshall, David McNamee, Elliott Ward, Colin Hawkins, Marcus Hall, Jay Tabb (Lee Hildreth), Isaac Osbourne, Michael Doyle, Kevin Thornton (Liam Davis 68), Kevin Kyle, Michael Mifsud. Subs not used: Luke Steele, Stephen Hughes, Andy Gooding.

Referee: Phil Joslin (Newark).

Attendance: 12,830.