Pompey end Clarets cup run

Last updated : 26 September 2007 By Tony Scholes
Steven Caldwell
Steven Caldwell - Man of the Match
It came with just over twenty minutes to go as players and crowd alike all screamed for handball against him, but the assistant referee closest gave nothing and referee Mark Clattenburg indicated it was his shoulder. The player later confirmed he'd got away with it. It was cruel on a much changed Burnley side who, certainly in the first half, had more than matched their Premier League opponents.

Harry Redknapp, as expected, had rung the changes following their 1-0 win at Blackburn on Sunday. Only the very impressive Sylvain Distin remained in the starting line up, and Steve Cotterill also made changes. Our back line remained the same but Andy Gray and Chris McCann were ruled out with injury, Wade Elliott and Graham Alexander were rested and Robbie Blake was also left out, he'd lost a night's sleep after becoming a dad.

In came David Unsworth, Alan Mahon (back from injury), John Spicer, James O'Connor and Ade Akinbiyi with the Clarets playing a 4-1-4-1 formation with Unsworth positioned in front of the back four and Akinbiyi the lone striker.

The game got underway in front of a very sparse crowd. It looked as thought it was going to be an incredibly small attendance until I was advised that there were more people outside trying to get in through the limited number of turnstiles than there were inside the ground. Still they hadn't been deafened by the music.

We started very well, taking the game to Pompey. More than once Unsworth found Kyle Lafferty with his trademark diagonal balls, but there was much to be admired as the Clarets midfielders passed the ball well and looked to get forward to support Ade.

Our first real opportunity fell to Saturday's late goalscorer Clarke Carlisle, but this time there was no spectacular goal, just a shot into the cricket field end where the bell ringing and the Pompey Chimes were well underway.

Twice Ade was almost in but twice superb defending from Distin denied him. Portsmouth could well have been behind at this stage but surely they should have gone in front when Nugent found himself clear on goal with just about everyone wondering why the two Portsmouth players hadn't been flagged offside.

1-0 I though, it just had to be, but Gabor Kiraly outdid him with a piece of brilliant goalkeeping. He just stood and waited, didn't commit and when Nugent tried to go round him he got down to clutch the ball. Yes, Nugent should have scored but this really was a fantastic piece of goalkeeping.

The good goalkeeping wasn't exclusively Gabor's and as the Clarets went forward again and won a corner. Mahon's flag kick was met by Steven Caldwell who looked to have got his first Burnley goal only to be denied by a top save from Jamie Ashdown.

Mahon was having a first half every bit as good as that second half performance at Colchester, and the next time he was on the ball he came within inches of finding Ade who would have been clear on goal.

We'd had the better of the play, but Pompey had had the best chance with Nugent, and they came very close to scoring again. This time it was Matthew Taylor, and we all know about his shooting ability. This one wasn't from a long distance but he got a shot in that looked to be going in, but again Gabor was equal to it making another excellent save low to his left.

Another Burnley corner looked to be dropping for Jimmy O'Connor but Ade failed to see him and deflected it away and in the last attack of the half Ade head straight into Ashdown's hands.

No goals then at half time, but it really had been a delight to watch. Both sides looking to get forward, both sides passing the ball around, and although they'd had that real clear chance I do feel we were somewhat unfortunate not to have gone in at half time with a lead.

The half time talk was sadly curtailed by more announcements and music so loud that it could probably have been heard at Deepdale and Bloomfield Road, never mind the stands at the Turf. However, I chose not to take the alternative option of a smoke filled concourse area. Is this really the Turf Moor experience?

When the teams came out for the second half the visitors made one substitution, bringing on the pacy John Utaka. We never seemed to recapture the form of the first half unfortunately and Pompey seemed to be able to keep us at arms length.

The passing wasn't as crisp and as such we weren't able to create the sort of openings we ha in the first half. The midfield wasn't able to get up and support quite as well and that certainly made things more difficult for Ade.

Even so, one or two blocks apart, we weren't under too much pressure at the back and a Portsmouth goal was hardly on the cards. However it came on 69 minutes, and from the most obvious source, Nugent. Hand ball or not, it went in and was given and you sensed we might be heading out of the competition.

Blake and Alexander came on, Jones wasn't far behind, and we did put them under some pressure in the closing stages. Mahon hit a shot from distance that Ashdown couldn't hold. Had Ade gambled and gone in he might just have got there.

A Blake free kick was blocked by the wall? Up we went for handball and a penalty. Was it handball? I've no idea, but closer observers suggested Portsmouth were fortunate to get away with it. That was our last chance, and when Mark Clattenburg blew his final whistle we were out of the Carling Cup.

I don't like losing, and I don't like being knocked out of cup competitions, but there was much to be pleased with in this performance. We gave a Premier League team a far from easy night, we had chances, we got forward and we certainly passed the ball well at times.

Again the two central defenders played well, and I can't disagree with the sponsor's choice of Steven Caldwell as man of the match. I wouldn't have disagreed either had it gone to Alan Mahon. The sort of form he's shown this season is what we all hoped we'd see from him when he first made the move from Wigan.

Out of the cup then, time to concentrate on the league, just carry on playing like this Burnley.

The teams were;

Burnley: Gabor Kiraly, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, David Unsworth (Robbie Blake 76), John Spicer, James O'Connor (Graham Alexander 77), Alan Mahon, Kyle Lafferty (Steve Jones 83), Ade Akinbiyi. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Joey Gudjonsson.

Portsmouth: Jamie Ashdown, Lauren, Noe Pamarot, Sylvain Distin, Djimi Traore, Arnold Mvuemba (Pape Bouba Diop 90), Pedro Mendes, Richard Hughes, Matthew Taylor, Benjani (John Utaka 45), David Nugent. Subs not used: David James, Martin Cranie, Niko Kranjcar.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 8,202.