Robbie wins it again for Clarets

You are guaranteed a hard physical game when you play them, we found that out in two visits to the Den last season, although on this occasion the nasty piece of work Dennis Wise had to settle for the confines of the dug out.

Thankfully we were without further injuries and so Steve Cotterill was at least able to name the side that had won at Brighton a week earlier with coach Mark Yates taking the place of Richard Duffy on the bench, Duffy presumably just watching a match somewhere today.

With Wise out of the Millwall side we soon found out that Barry Hayles fancied the idea of being public enemy number one and decided to contest any decision that went against his side.

Millwall certainly started better than us and in the opening exchanges much of the play was going towards our goal. Brian Jensen gave us a couple of frightening moments but we got away with them and with the defence as a whole looking in good form we were able to restrict them to just one shot.

It was perhaps a worrying start but we did get into our stride and started to cause Millwall some problems in particular from the two full backs Michael Duff and Mo Camara who were getting forward at every opportunity to get crosses into the box.

More than once they troubled the Millwall defence and with any luck at all we could have found ourselves in front.

With things not quite going their way the London side resorted to the usual over aggressive style and two fouls in particular should have been punished by much more than a free kick. You just sensed that referee Ilderton, a very weak official, was being taken in.

And it was no surprise that the first booking went our way to Gary Cahill for a challenge that made no contact with anyone. The assistant, who was close to the incident, was clearly saying no to the man in the middle but he ignored it and into the book he went.

Two minutes later and Mr. Ilderton was suddenly getting over eager and waved the card again, this time at James O’Connor after he had suggested he wasn’t too happy about being kicked in the head by David Livermore.

At least it brought the crowd to life, there’s nothing better at the Turf than the fans believing they are getting a raw deal from the referee.

It was Burnley pressing though right up to half time and we could have counted ourselves maybe a little unfortunate to go in at the interval level but we currently don’t look a side with a lot of goals in us and hadn’t really created enough in terms of real chances.

Flu kept Alex Elder away today and his place was taken by another star from the Championship side in Ray Pointer. The Blonde Bombshell received a superb reception from the Turf Moor crowd.

Gary Cahill - another excellent game from the young loan player

As the referee got the second half underway it was certainly getting colder as gloves and hats went on all around the stands but that didn’t deter the Clarets as we went in search of the lead.

It almost came in the very first minute of the half but Millwall were able to get it clear at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.

Wise needed to change things to get his side back into the game and brought on Paul Ifill – three minutes later we had the first goal. A move down the right hand side was halted by Mark Phillips’ hand (always wondered what happened to him when he left Princess Anne) and the referee had no alternative but to point to the spot.

There was something of a delay as just about every Millwall player decided he would do his best to change the referee’s mind but eventually Robbie Blake stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way for his tenth league goal of the season.

It was a welcome lead and Millwall immediately brought on another striker in Danny Dichio and it was obvious that the plan would be to hit long balls up to him. What they didn’t bargain for was the fact that there was no way our two central defenders were going to let them win very many headers.

Millwall were getting a bit too much of the ball but hardly threatening and then Wise brought on Adrian Serioux simply to take every throw in.

Yes he throws the ball a long way but on just about every throw he stole something like fifteen yards ground and he was stepping way onto the pitch as he threw the ball. But more importantly as Millwall chased for a late equaliser they needed to get the ball into our box quickly, and they would have done it more quickly by taking a quick throw rather than waiting for the Canadian who must have wasted at least three or four minutes in his preparation.

We looked to have weathered the storm from the missiles and then right in the last minute of normal time Millwall were presented with a sitter when Michael Duff slipped. It was loan player Jo Tessem and amazingly with only Jensen to beat he put his shot wide.

In stoppage time they came even closer when Livermore hit the post with a shot from outside the box and that was thankfully the last of the action.

Three wins out of three, for the first time since March 2003, and up to the lofty position of 8th in the table. It really is an incredible effort by the players and management given the problems caused initially by the size of the squad and the injury situation.

The ovation they received at the end was so deserved, as once again they gave us everything with a fantastic attitude right through the side.

Mo Camara won the sponsors man of the match, it would have been so rewarding for him if he had hit the winner against this lot after the events of last season.

He played well but for me the star man has to come from the centre of defence. I thought both Sinclair and Cahill had excellent games. For the second week in succession I’m going for Sinclair but it was a close run thing. It is hard to believe but they played so well that John McGreal was hardly missed.

A special word too for O’Connor who for me had his best game yet for the club. He certainly looks like a player who wants to play for us.

Steve Cotterill will be thankful for another full week before the next game when the Football League computer has very nicely given us a trip to Plymouth to follow on from last week’s Brighton trip. At least we’ll be under cover if it rains.

For now though, let’s enjoy being 8th in the league even if we are set to lose our ground.

The teams were,

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Gary Cahill, Frank Sinclair, Mo Camara, Lee Roche, James O’Connor, Tony Grant, Graham Branch, Ian Moore, Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Paul Scott, Joel Pilkington, Mark Yates, Amadou Sanokho, Matt O’Neill.

Millwall: Graham Stack, Kevin Muscat, Mark Phillips, Darren Ward, Matt Lawrence, David Livermore, Josh Simpson (Paul Ifill 58), Marvin Elliott (Danny Dichio 62), Jo Tessem, Barry Hayles, Scott Dobie (Adrian Serioux 73). Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Jody Morris.

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 11,472.