One - two - and now three

Last updated : 10 April 2007 By Tony Scholes
Steven Caldwell - Man of the Match
Nine points in six days, relegation fears just about gone, and incredibly we now sit with just three points less than we had at the end of last season. It's been a massive turnaround in form and long may it last.

We all know that the main problem was the inability to find the net, we knew that we weren't giving too many goals away and if we could just start scoring again then we might get some more points on the board. Seven goals in those three games, not a single goal conceded in the last four games, and suddenly that two point gap between us and the bottom three has been stretched to nine.

Easter had got off to the best possible start with the win at Birmingham on Saturday and, after Eric Djemba-Djemba passed a late fitness test, Steve Cotterill was able to name an unchanged side for this home game against Cardiff as we looked to avenge the undeserved defeat at Ninian Park in November.

Walking down Harry Potts Way ahead of the game it appeared quieter than usual, but there was a sombre feel following the sad and untimely death of Brian Miller two days earlier. Some of Brian's former colleagues were on the touchline prior to kick off for what proved to be an impeccably observed and a very moving minute's silence.

The only think I could hear was traffic outside the ground, in what was a very moving tribute to one of the club's greatest ever servants, and tribute that was respected on all four sides of Turf Moor.

It's always quite strange to go quickly from total silence and straight into the game but the Clarets soon got to grips with things and were in front very quickly. It all came from a throw in on the right hand side taken by Michael Duff. Andy Gray got it into the box and when Cardiff failed to clear Steve Jones hammered it home.

Jonah hasn't been having the best of times recently but having scored in the big win over Plymouth he's look rejuvenated and was involved again as the Clarets came close to doubling the lead. This time he raced past Cardiff full back Chris Gunter and his cross was met by Andy Gray but his header came back off the bar.

Not as thought it was all Burnley, probably Cardiff had more of the possession but at this stage they hadn't threatened us. The nearest they had come was a long range effort from our former loan player Pete Whittingham. I can't recall noticing him again as he turned in one of those abject performances we saw only too often a couple of years ago.

Cardiff did come close to drawing level, Paul Parry's header was cleared off the line by James O'Connor, but the only other time they got anywhere near Brian Jensen's goal in the first half was when Michael Chopra tried to turn in the box. He wasn't able to get past Steven Caldwell who made sure the former Newcastle striker with the big ego didn't get in a shot.

Just before half time Burnley picked up a second yellow card. Steve Jones had been booked earlier but the booking of Andy Gray was just downright ridiculous. The assistant referee got it completely wrong and the attention grabbing Richard Beeby just couldn't wait to get his cards out.

The interval came with us in front and I thought we were worth the lead. We'd scored, hit the woodwork, and despite the play Cardiff had enjoyed we'd hardly given them a sniff at the other end with the back four again in such form that Brian Jensen was almost redundant.

It had taken us until the fourth minute to score in the first half, it took less to double the lead after the interval and this was a real goal of the season contender. Jon Harley, O'Connor and Gray were all involved with the striker getting the ball out wide to Wade who got past his man, crossed low for Paul McVeigh who hammered it home from close range at the near post. Cardiff looked demoralised and it was almost 3-0 just after from a similar situation but this time the goalkeeper was able to make a save at the expense of a corner.

The game became somewhat scrappy, certainly not helped by the referee, but without looking at our best we were never in any real trouble and I don't recall Cardiff coming close to one serious attempt at our goal.

They made substitutions but it didn't change things and if there was to be another goal it was much more likely to come at the other end. We probably should have done better when Jimmy O broke clear but he didn't get his pass right to Gray and the chance went begging.

Jones and Elliott were causing them problems from wide whilst Eric was beginning to show us his full repertoire with a few showboating moments and a couple of sublime cross field balls.

Without ever committing a serious offence throughout the game we were clocking up the yellow cards, hardly a surprise. One of the strangest of decisions led to Cardiff actually finding the net. They won a free kick which Chopra took. It found Roger Johnson who headed home but the flag was already up for offside.

We were running down the clock comfortably but with just a few minutes to go the ground erupted. Now we all know we don't get penalties, but we'd reached the stage this afternoon when we weren't even getting free kicks.

Then, and incredibly, Beeby actually gave us a free kick and he received ironic applause from the Longside. But the applause was not just a few seconds long but sustained as the crowd rose to its feet to salute this most incompetent of official. He'll probably head off home thinking he's done a good job, it really is that worrying.

Steve Cotterill made some late substitutions, but the game was won, it was three wins in six days and although there's nothing to celebrate there's some considerable relief being felt in the Turf Moor stands.

There were a number of candidates for man of the match. Eric was again in top form in midfield, Andy Gray continued his good form up front, but after keeping four clean sheets in nine days I'm looking at the defence and looking no further than captain Steven Caldwell.

The entire defence is playing well, so much so that Brian Jensen is hardly having anything to do, but the new skipper is the inspiration and the leader. The sponsors named him man of the match and I'm, for once, agreeing with them.

We've played better than we did today, and probably we would have lost this game had it been played a week ago. But we've got some confidence back, we've got some belief back and we've started scoring goals again.

Now I wonder how many of us would have dared predict three successive wins in six days.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Wayne Thomas, Steven Caldwell, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Ade Akinbiyi 87), Eric Djemba-Djemba, James O'Connor, Steve Jones, Andy Gray (John Spicer 90), Paul McVeigh (Chris McCann 76). Subs not used: Danny Coyne, Graham Coughlan.

Cardiff: David Forde, Chris Gunter, Darren Purse, Roger Johnson, Kevin McNaughton, Joe Ledley, Stephen McPhail, Pete Whittingham (Steven Thompson 73), Paul Parry (Darcy Blake 68), Michael Chopra, Warren Feeney (Matt Green 56). Subs not used: Neil Alexander, Willo Flood.

Referee: Richard Beeby (Northampton).

Attendance: 11,347.