One goal enough to see off Forest

Last updated : 13 November 2004 By Tony Scholes

Micah Hyde - the latest injury, off at half time with a hamstring problem
The goal came after just six minutes and there were times in the second half when we really could have done with another but in reality, despite their possession, Forest weren’t allowed to create too much in the way of chances.

The good news was that John McGreal was able to take his place again in defence after missing the Carling Cup defeat against Spurs, and Ian Moore was back in the squad as we had hinted in the build up.

For Moore it was a much earlier return than had been expected, he was out of the side for only five games in total having last played in the televised defeat against Derby.

On the down side Graham Branch was ruled out with illness and this meant that Jean-Louis Valois started on the left hand side.


The game had only just got underway when Forest hit the bar with a long range effort that had Brian Jensen beaten, but in our first real attack we were in front after an attack down the right hand side involving Michael Duff and Lee Roche.

It was Roche who played the ball into Blake and he hit an angled shot towards the far post.

Whether it was going in or not became irrelevant as Forest defender James Perch, trying to clear, could only divert it into his own goal. It was just what the Clarets wanted and that one goal lead could quite easily have been extended as we continued to take the game to Forest.


There certainly could have been a clear own goal as Michael Dawson, looking a shadow of the player who the entire Premiership were looking at, almost turned a Mo Camara cross past Paul Gerrard but it went just over.

It was all Burnley with the two full backs, Duff and Camara, providing a lot of opportunities with some excellent crosses and Blake nearly got his head onto one Duff cross – a headed Blake goal, now that would have been one to remember.

We were dominating the midfield area and Forest could hardly get into the game with Marlon King and Gareth Taylor, warmly welcomed by the home fans before kick off, hardly getting any service at all.


A year ago we saw one of the best individual performances of the season from Forest’s Andy Reid but this was a different Reid now, a player who really gave the impression that he was not too happy about having to play in this team any longer.


Valois
had been linking up well with Camara down the left but we don’t seem to be able to go too long now without making changes and again he was forced off after less than 45 minutes action, Ian Moore coming on probably earlier than had been planned.

We didn’t make the most of our play in the first half and after Jensen made his one real save of the half in the last minute we had to settle for a one goal interval lead.


There was more bad news during the interval. As the subs warmed up on the pitch Richard Duffy was suddenly summoned – you’ve guessed it, another injury and this time Micah Hyde who had to be replaced with a hamstring injury.

Ian Moore - a welcome early return after his knee operation
Goalkeeper Jensen came to our rescue early in the second half when he got a foot to a King shot at the expense of a corner. It was a good save but King should never have given him a chance.


Still it was not as simple as the one that Taylor missed later when he somehow headed wide from close range with only Jensen to beat.


In between those two chances Ian Moore, playing down the left hand side, was put clear. He cut in and shot low towards the far corner. Gerrard got a touch to the shot and it went agonisingly wide for a corner. It would have been a corner if anyone else in the ground apart from the referee had been giving the decision.

And we had the ball in the net again, and it would have been the goal of the season had it been allowed when Blake hit it in from out wide on the right. It simply flew in to the far corner but the whistle had already blown.


David Johnson came on as a late sub to try and grab an equaliser for the away side. Incredibly he received a fantastic reception from the home fans at a time when we should have been trying to lift our own players.

One Burnley fan, not too far behind me was shouting, “You’ll always be a Claret,” and this was a minute or so after he shouted, “Get off the ******* pitch Grant.” I sometimes really wonder.

Johnson is not a Claret, he was here on loan for a short time. Like Taylor he was doing his best to ensure that we lost, thankfully their best was not good enough. I don’t have any problems with them being applauded prior to kick off but to give an opposition player such a lift as he comes on to try and take the game away from us beggars belief.


Having said that I have to admit to applauding Glen recently when he came on for Reading but that was more in disgust at the Burnley fans who were booing him. Perhaps, unlike Taylor and Johnson he won’t always be a Claret.

As it happens Johnson did nothing and we were able to run the clock down with some ease as Forest failed to create anything like a chance in the last ten minutes or so.


It was a less than inspired second half but who cares, our injury ravaged squad had won us three more points and can now have a seven day break before the next game although Hyde, if fit, will be flying off again to play for Jamaica this week.

It was good to see John McGreal back in the centre of defence, he was as usual in impressive form as was the young Gary Cahill alongside him but it was left back Mo Camara who picked up the sponsors man of the match award.

For me it was Tony Grant, who turned in an excellent performance in the midfield, an area where we were so much on top during the first half. But Grant got better as the game went on and was such an important player as Forest tried to get back in during the second half.

For those who are worried about is being in a relegation scrap this win means we are now a healthy nine points clear of the bottom three. We are closer to the play offs in terms of points and by the time we next play at home we could well have Frank Sinclair and Richard Chaplow back in the squad. I don’t think that’s too bad right now, I think most of us will be happy enough with that.


The teams were,

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Gary Cahill, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Lee Roche, Micah Hyde (Richard Duffy 45), Tony Grant, James O’Connor, Jean-Louis Valois (Ian Moore 41), Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Joel Pilkington, Amadou Sanokho, Matt O’Neill.

Nottm Forest: Paul Gerrard, James Perch (Eoin Jess 31), Wes Morgan, Michael Dawson, Alan Rogers (Gregor Robertson 53), Ross Gardner, John Thompson, Paul Evans (David Johnson 74), Andy Reid, Marlon King, Gareth Taylor. Subs not used: Barry Roche, Jon-Olav Hjelde.


Referee:
Matt Messias (York).


Attendance:
11,622.