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On a cold, dry evening, three hundred or so made the journey across to the land of no hills to see a game where a full strength Clarets side were worthy victors on the night. Stan made one change from the side victorious at the weekend, Weller maintaining his place in midfield, Grantona still out presumably with his poorly tummy.
With Chadwick once again starting on the left and Delroy all alone up front, it was the familiar sight of Blake's trickery that was to generate matters on the creativity front. For the home side, in what was a bright opening to the game, Sparrow looked the likeliest threat operating wide on the right wing and looking to cut inside Camara whenever given the chance.
It was the Shadows though who nearly had the opening goal on twelve minutes when Farrelly's magnificent fifty yard pass was arrowed to Chadwick. Chadwick's first touch was good, his shot likewise, but Russell was down smartly to smother the shot.
The visitors were comfortable, using low, quick passes and the full width of the pitch, as they pulled Scunthorpe around, confident in their approach play, with May and Todd also looking solid at the back. By contrast, the hosts were a little ragged and any shots in Jensen's direction were more off target than on.
On the twenty minutes came the Shadows opening goal. A defensive lapse, when Sparrow, (without his wing and therefore no prayer), slipped in the area, saw the loose ball arrive at Chadwick's feet and after he had set himself square to the ball, the finish was from a man in confident mood, the ball nestling neatly in the corner of the net.
Shadows moved up a gear, West began to find lots of space down the right hand wing and the movement was from a team enjoying it's football. A brief moment came and went as the home side looked to rally when Kell's poor shot was well over after a neat chest down from journey man Torpey.
Chadwick and Camara played a neat one-two by the dead ball line and Blake was unlucky when shooting wide on the near post, as Camara whipped in a good low cross on the half hour as Shadows looked to add to their lead.
Instead, an equaliser came, the goal resulting from poor defending on the half hour mark. A simple free kick from centre midfield was floated straight down the pitch, Torpey beat Todd to the header and from the corner of the six yard box MacLean looped a header over the poorly positioned Jensen, May also guilty of having lost his man.
Facey had the ball in the back of the net with ten minutes of the half remaining, but the goal was chalked off, a push by Delroy lost Facey being spotted on the edge of the area. Barwick had a long range shot deflected and Jensen did well to parry the ball away as half time approached and five minutes from the break Shadows regained the lead.
Chadwick's pass on the edge of the area set up oh Robbie Robbie and Blake's quick feet did the rest, neatly side stepping Russell's dive and his close range finish from a tight angle was celebrated down the other end where the three hundred tried to liven up the dreary stadium. HT 1-2.
Clearly, Brian Laws was not a happy bunny during his half time team chat and the home side were visibly better in the second half, in which the Shadows sat deeper and had much more defending to do.
Flapper Jensen fluffed a cross only four minutes in, when challenging Torpey for a cross and the 'keeper could be very thankful to West who was able to clear the strikers shot off the line when an equaliser looked an odds-on certainty.
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Beast Jensen needed to be out smartly to take a low cross as the Iron made good use of both wings. Farrelly was booked for obstruction as Jensen then completely missed a cross, his poor keeping and judgement making becoming a concern.
Sparrow returned the foul compliment on Weller and was booked for his troubles, as the game continued to increase in tempo and border on excitement. Byrne was booked for a trip on Farrelly as the midfielder looked to end a neatly threaded passing move. Blake's free kick was well saved by Russell from the resulting free kick.
Farrelly almost made it three-one with a quarter hour remaining, when, from West's good cross, he shot from twelve yards, sent Russell the wrong way, but saw the ball deflect off McCombe's outstretched leg in the six yard box. Weller conceded a foul in the "D", but the Shadows survived the free kick, Barwick's shot more howler than howitzer - the under side of the stand roof taking a pounding.
The pattern of the game was now set until the end, the home side would press, the visitors would look to counter, using the pace of Moore and Facey to lessen the load on the defence. 95 year old Peter Beagrie replaced Sharp with a little under a quarter of an hour remaining, before Shadows scored what turned out to be the winning goal with ten minutes remaining.
Again Blake's trickery around the edge of the box was the contributing factor and when the ball fell kindly to Ian Moore he made no mistake when shooting on the turn from fifteen yards, many of the travelling fans beginning their repertoire of patronising chants to the disappointed homesters, though we could all do without pointless, inappropriate IRA related chants thank you.
May was booked for a foul in the instant home reply. The home fans were incensed by Laws’ decision to withdraw MacLean, Hayes having to make do with a round of boos as he made his way up alongside Torpey.
Barwick again missed the target in the next attack, before Clarets enjoyed a swift breakaway. After a great chase for a long through ball by Facey, his superb low cross was hit first time by Farrelly, beating Russell but skimming off the top of the bar in a good, quality counter attack.
It wouldn't be the Shadows if we weren't made to sweat at the end of a game and many a finger nail took a pounding when a late consolation goal was conceded, poor goalkeeping once again a factor. A quickly taken free kick was put away with Jensen still organising his wall and to much amusement in the visiting seats, the goal was disallowed. However, Jensen failed to organise his wall, old man Beagrie strode up and shot straight under the sloth like figure of Jensen, who, despite guarding the very post into which the ball was aimed, he failed to stop the shot and the home fans began to get all excited in the final few but frantic minutes.
Three minutes of unsponsored injury time passed away and the final whistle was celebrated by the travelling Lancastrians, glad to avoid the panic of extra time. FT 2-3.
Star Gazer
Brian Jensen. Oh dear, oh dear. A few too many clangers in this game for the so called Beast. Poor cross taking and flapper tactics on many occasions didn't instil much in a beastly performance.
Beer Money
Four subs, we've only got four subs, we've only got four subs. It's a good job Stan was allowed to use three loan players from t' big league. Still the club should be able to save on diesel now they can travel by mini bus.
Star Geezer
Andy Todd. Despite an error in the first goal, rarely put another head or foot wrong and his resolute no nonsense style was called upon all too often in an, at times, tricky second half.
Champagne Tastes
At times, the first half was a joy to watch, with the proper Clarets, albeit in grey, having anything but a grey day in the opening forty five. When Farrelly's on his game he in particular is a good player to watch, relieving Robbie Blake of the playmaker role, as in this loan period at least, we have options in midfield.