Three points and that's what mattered

Last updated : 14 November 2010 By Tony Scholes
Ross Wallace
Ross Wallace - the inspiration
We'd gone three and a half weeks since the previous win, that against Barnsley in mid-October, and we'd had a run of three points from four games with the somewhat unfortunate Carling Cup defeat at Aston Villa thrown in for good measure.

I've seen games during that period when we've played well and deserved more than we've got. It's got tiresome texting people on the way home from games telling them how well we've played only to get a message in return highlighting that once again we haven't won.

Surely if we continued to play well the win would come, but yesterday we turned things right on their head. We didn't play particularly well at all and yet came out with all three points and there were some huge sighs of relief inside Turf Moor when Chris Sarginson finally blew that final whistle after more than seven minutes of stoppage time.

We needed that win, desperately according to some, and thankfully the late inspiration yielded the two goals from Ross Wallace and a Graham Alexander penalty that brought it, changing the atmosphere inside the ground dramatically.

Last time we played Watford at Turf Moor was in September 2008. We came from behind that day to win 3-2 on a day when we didn't play at all well. I described it as an ugly win, but a win, and move on just over two years and it really is a case of déjà vu with an almost identical game.

Brian Laws made three changes to the team that had started against Doncaster on Tuesday. Two of them were forced on him with Brian Easton coming in for ankle ligament injury victim Danny Fox and Chris Iwelumo returning at the expense of Martin Paterson who wasn't quite ready to continue after suffering a thigh injury.

The other change saw Graham Alexander return at the expense of Dean Marney, and the skipper was to have the last say with his late penalty.

Ahead of the game we held a minute's silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday which was impeccably observed. It was done with the players stood facing each other across the centre circle and was very moving. That's how it is done Burnley Football Club.

We'd started so brightly against Doncaster and could have almost had the game won in the first ten minutes before falling behind. Here we started anything but brightly and the opening quarter of the game was fairly uninspiring stuff. Then, out of the blue, we went in front.

The purists will tell you it was route one but it was more a case of making the very best of a free kick in the right back position. Goalkeeper Lee Grant took it and aimed the ball up the field to Jay Rodriguez on the left hand side.

Jay has a wonderful ability to get up for a header and here he towered over Lloyd Doyley and aimed his header into the penalty box where Iwelumo got in front of Adrian Mariappa to head home.

Just what we needed, or so I thought. Unfortunately the lead didn't last very long, although longer than it might have done. Watford's Don Cowie missed a good chance to bring his side level just a couple of minutes later but when he got another opportunity just after that he made no mistake.

We scandalously gave the ball away on the half way line. Wade Elliott or Clarke Carlisle; take your pick. For me, the centre half should be taking command there and he should have dealt with it. Poor Clarke does seem to make these howlers against Watford.

Cowie had half the pitch to go but a clear run on goal. Easton burst a gut to try and get across to block him but didn't quite make it and Cowie hit his shot across Grant and just inside the far post.

The rest of the half was very much like the period prior to the goals with neither side really offering much although Tyrone Mears did forced a save from Scott Loach just before the break from a free kick.

It had hardly been inspiring stuff in the first half but Burnley came out much brighter in the second and it looked as though we were going to step things up and go on and win it. That was until Taylor got up virtually unmarked to head a left wing corner into the net and give Watford the lead.

Whatever confidence we had in us it certainly drained and at that point I couldn't see us getting anything out of the game. From a 1-0 lead we'd got ourselves 2-1 behind and we didn't look as though we had much left in us.

At this point Watford had chances to secure the win but missed them and, with the crowd getting restless, things weren't good.

We looked to the bench for some changes and they came with a double change. Steven Thompson replaced Iwelumo but the first of the changes saw Ross Wallace come on for Elliott. Now, Wade wasn't playing well and I don't think he'd dispute that, but the cheers that greeted his removal just weren't called for. Some people do have some really short memories.

I'm certainly not suggesting the change was wrong or that the wrong player was coming off but just that I felt the response to Elliott was not on.

Still, within no time at all it had been forgotten as we turned the game on its head with Wallace very much the inspiration. "What does he do?" I heard someone say. The answer is he delivers quality balls into dangerous areas and the first chance he got to do that we should have someone coming in at the far post.

His next contribution, however, was the perfect delivery. Jack Cork and Chris Eagles linked up down the right hand side. At last Eagles got behind the defence and his cross was perfect as it reached Wallace coming in.

The finish from Wallace was exquisite, volleying home with some power from close range and we were back in the game with twenty minutes to play.

Now, with a 4-4-2 system and Eagles and Wallace causing problems, the game had changed and we were causing them all sorts of problems. Wallace again got on the ball. This time he played a ball into Jay Rod just inside the Watford and central.

Taylor pushed him, Jay went over, referee Sarginson pointed the spot and Taylor initially showed no dissent at the decision whatsoever. The referee did finally go and speak to his assistant, along with a possee of Watford players, but it could surely only have been to confirm that it was inside the box because the referee had had the clearest view possible.

Loach wouldn't go on his line but this wasn't referee Mathieson so we had to wait. It doesn't unnerve Grezza; he just stands there and waits as long as is necessary and when he finally got the all clear he hammered it in off the underside of the bar.

The atmosphere changed dramatically. Now the fans were in full voice of support and willing us to the win. It came, but not without its hairy moments which included one fantastic double save from Grant.

There were five minutes of stoppage time. Watches were checked regularly. It went beyond seven minutes but finally the whistle went and the points were ours.

I have to say that the three points were perhaps a bit flattering but I don't honestly care. I've seen so many games recently where we've not got what we have deserved this was really one of those payback results.

Those involved in professional football often stress the importance of confidence and we all know that results affect it. We played like a side at times yesterday with little confidence and that's no surprise after the recent results. Yesterday can have done nothing other than lift it ahead of next week's game.

We're the only side in the Championship now without an away win. and along with Accrington, Barnet and Gillingham (three giants of English football) still awaiting the first maximum on the road.

Now, go and get that win and it should really lift the confidence.

For now though I'll settle for yesterday's result and enjoy being back in the play off positions. As much as I want us to play really well, I did make my way home last night with a big smile on my face.

The teams were;

Burnley: Lee Grant, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Duff, Brian Easton, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott (Ross Wallace 66), Jack Cork, Chris Eagles (Dean Marney 90+2), Chris Iwelumo (Steven Thompson 66), Jay Rodriguez. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, David Edgar, Andre Bikey, Leon Cort.
Yellow Card: Jack Cork, Chris Eagles.

Watford: Scott Loach, Lloyd Doyley, Adrian Mariappa, Martin Taylor, Andrew Taylor, Don Cowie, John Eustace, Jordon Mutch, Stephen McGinn (Marvin Sordell 82), Troy Deeney, Danny Graham (Will Buckley 90+7). Subs not used: Rene Gilmartin, Lee Hodson, Josh Walker, Michael Bryan, Dale Bennett.
Yellow Cards: Martin Taylor, Jordon Mutch, John Eustace.

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 14,160.

Footnote

Congratulations to Wade Elliott on his 200th league start for Burnley.