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We needn’t have worried. On the night, the Clarets’ passion play proved too much for a Preston outfit who had little to offer by way of resistance. Injuries and suspensions prevented Ternent from making the wholesale changes which many had craved. But the gaffer still managed to shuffle the cards available to him and spring a surprise in terms of the formation.
Marlon’s antics of the past month meant that the manager’s faith had been stretched to breaking point, and NTG was, not before time, restored as custodian. Graham Branch was moved into the centre of defence alongside Mark McGregor with Briscoe and West occupying the full back berths. There were further shake-ups in midfield. Ian Moore and Papadopolous marshalled the left and right wings respectively with Weller, Davis and Blake in the middle. The lion-hearted Gareth Taylor ploughed a lone furrow up front.
Straight from the kick-off, Burnley looked a fraction sharper that their rivals from the west of the county, but it was to be 15 minutes before they made their pressure count with an effort on target as a Gareth Taylor header flew wide of Lucas’ goal. Throughout the course of the evening, referee Mike Halsey must have learnt an awful lot about our Welsh forward, as he was forever blowing up for non-existent fouls and calling Taylor over for a bit of a chat.
On 22 minutes, PNE’s American World Cup star, Eddie Lewis exploited the now permanently empty right-back berth (which used to be where Dean West played) for a run on goal which culminated in a shot which went well wide of NTG’s right-hand post.
On 25 minutes, the Clarets broke forward again and from a Taylor knock-down, Weller blazed wide of the target – which made a change as he usually blazes wildly over. Nevertheless, Burnley were establishing themselves as the dominant force in the game. All they needed was a goal to stamp their superiority on the game. On 28 minutes, we nearly got one. From a Lee Briscoe corner, The Skip powered a thumping header goalwards, and Graham Alexander nearly knocked himself out heading the ball from off his own goal-line.
Two minutes later the action switched to the other end. Dickson Etuhu was crudely challenged by Brisser, and from the resultant free-kick twenty yards from goal, Alexander rattled the underside of the crossbar and with no Burnley defender near, Cresswell headed over the rebound from point-blank range. Some claimed the ball crossed the line from the initial free-kick. Well, sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes not. End of story.
Just when the half appeared to be drawing to a goal-less conclusion, Burnley made the breakthrough. On 42 minutes, Davis met another Briscoe corner. This time Lucas was forced to palm it away. From the narrowest and tightest of angles, everyone expected Dimi Papadopoulos to cut the ball back. But the Greek U-21 captain had other ideas, and turned the ball into the goal off Lucas far post. For a change there was a happier half-time atmosphere in the concourses.
PNE started the second half the better, but it was 55 minutes before they had an opportunity to speak of. Again, with acres to gallop into, Lewis fired in a dangerous cross which the threatening Richard Cresswell managed to connect with. Fortunately, so did NTG and the danger was averted. A couple of minutes later the lanky Lilywhite was at it again, and this time Michopoulos had to pull a save out of the top drawer, tipping his effort over the bar.
Just as the visitors were threatening to get back on level terms, Burnley doubled their advantage on the hour. The Clarets were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out and at an angle which many thought would prevent a shot on goal. That was to reckon without Robbie Blake’s opportunistic talents though. Blake’s shot swerved and dipped past Lucas, and Burnley were two up. Lucas’ positioning was poor. Like we cared. What made the moment sweeter was that it took place directly in front of the 2,500 travelling North-Enders.
Five minutes later, the Clarets almost added another as from a Blake cross, Taylor headed against the foot of Lucas’ post and the ball was cleared to safety. It could have been three, minutes later as Davis lob from the right of the area evaded Lucas’ grasp. Unfortunately, it also evaded the goal with Taylor inches away from getting a vital touch.
There was a late scare from Preston on 80 minutes, as an Alexander shot from inside the Burnley area forced NTG into another tremendous tip over the crossbar, but other than that Burnley comfortably saw out the remainder of the game to record only their second home league victory of the year.
This was a win which secures first division football at Turf Moor for another season. What will happen during the next campaign is anybody’s guess, but that was very much an afterthought this evening. What mattered was three points, local bragging rights, safety and the restoration of pride.
