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Stan made one change from the side that went out of the FA Cup at Millwall last week and that was forced on him when Neil Wood picked up a 'tweaked’ knee that ruled him out. In came Paul Weller to play on the left hand side with Dean West stepping up to take a place on the bench.
The Ipswich side included Driss Diallo but he was one ex-Claret who did not get a warm welcome, maybe his revelations this week that he was watching Ipswich, and having talks with them when they were in administration and unable to sign players, at the end of last season when he was still a Burnley player could have had much to do with it.
For the second time in succession we lost the toss and had to defend the cricket field end in the first half. It is certainly not something we would choose to do and we don’t have as good a record in recent years as we do playing the other way first.
We started well for the opening minutes and could have gone in front when Robbie Blake stepped over the ball to let in Paul Weller but the midfielder’s shot was nowhere near good enough and allowed Kelvin Davis to save.
The next time Weller got a chance though it led to us going in front. Robbie Blake put him through and although Davis saved again he could only parry the ball to Glen Little who hammered it in from close range.
Glen hadn’t scored all season until two weeks ago but hopefully he is right at the beginning of a goal scoring run. The celebrations had hardly died down when it was 2-0. We are not the best side in the world at making the most out of corners and I think the last success could well have been at Stoke back in September.
David May scored that day and he was there to score his first Turf Moor goal when Davis wasn’t able to collect the ball.
Long ball Joe instantly made a change but it made little difference as the Clarets went looking for a third. It didn’t come and shortly before half time Ipswich could have pulled one back but the disappointing Diallo headed wide when he surely should have done better.
I’m not sure what they have done to him in Suffolk but he certainly never played this badly for us and that miss was to be his last telling contribution as he was substituted at the interval.
That interval was a new experience for me, spending it down on the touchline, as Ben Golby and Paul Warburton took a bow after completing their ‘Walk up for Burnley’. There will be more on that but it was brilliant to be part of it.
They say 2-0 is a dangerous lead and there’s no doubt that the next goal, should it come, can be vital. When it came it came our way and what a stunner from our new England international Richard Chaplow.
He latched onto a headed clearance and hit the sweetest of volleys low and hard into the bottom right hand corner before Davis could even think of moving. It was his fourth goal for the Clarets, all at Turf Moor.
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A goal from the spot would have made it 4-0 but just a minute later it was 3-1 as Brian Jensen somehow let an effort from Ian Westlake creep in under him. The Danish keeper, who has been in much better form recently, looked distraught.
It didn’t appear to be a major problem and we could have made sure of the win when Ian Moore missed a chance after being set up by Blake and Little. To be fair Glen should have shot but Mooro made something of a mess of it.
Then with just over two minutes of normal time remaining Ipswich ensured that rousing finish when they pulled another back with a free kick. Substitute Martijn Reuser hit it from just outside the box and Jensen was unable to move as it went in to his left.
Suddenly there were worries amongst the fans and into the three minutes of added on time Ipswich hit a shot against the post with Jensen again looking at fault.
Stan was desperate to get Dean West into the action as Ipswich threw everything at us but just as the finger nails had all but disappeared Glen Little again got down the right hand side and played the ball across for Robbie Blake to score from close range. The relief could be heard right across Turf Moor.
Anything but a Burnley win would have been a rank injustice, it was a win that was without doubt deserved. We really did play some good stuff today and it shows that as long as Gillingham aren’t the visitors you have a chance of a good game.
It could be difficult to choose a Man of the Match but for me it’s not, there was one player who made such a difference today. How long is it since we had someone in the number 7 shirt running at defenders and frightening them to death?
Welcome back Glen – this was almost like the Glen of old.
He wasn’t the only one to play well though and there were good performances right across the pitch.
It was a relegation candidate against a promotion candidate today but you would never have worked this one out.
Today’s was as good a home performance as we have seen for some time.
The teams were,
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Lee Roche, David May, Mark McGregor, Mo Camara, Glen Little, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Paul Weller (Bradley Orr 75), Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Paul Rachubka, Dean West, Alan Moore, Luke Chadwick.
Ipswich: Kelvin Davis, Fabian Wilnis (Matt Richards 31), John McGreal, Richard Naylor, Driss Diallo (Pablo Counago), Ian Westlake, Jim Magilton, Jermaine Wright, Tommy Miller, Shefki Kuqi (Martjn Reuser 63), Darren Bent. Subs not used: Lewis Price, George Santos.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).