The game turned on its head in the latter stages of the first half after Richard Chaplow had missed a chance to put us 3-0 up. Five minutes later it was 2-1 and then just before half time we were reduced to ten men when Michael Duff became the second Claret to be sent off this season.
It all started so well for the Clarets who had John McGreal fit and made two changes from Tuesday night with both Danny Coyne and Frank Sinclair coming back in at the expense of Brian Jensen and Jean-Louis Valois.
Both Jensen and Valois were on a new look subs bench that included Amadou Sanokho who was finally cleared to play and 19-year-old Richard Duffy who had arrived on loan from Portsmouth yesterday.
A minute’s silence was held for Brian Clough before kick off, strangely the club did had not previously held one for former player Eric Probert who died recently. The silence was observed impeccably, unlike the disgraceful behaviour at the
The game got underway and Ian Moore put us in front in just the 3rd minute. He’d won us a free kick on the right hand side after a foul by Gerry Taggart and got on the end of Robbie Blake’s low cross to turn the ball into the corner just inches from the post giving Ed de Goey no chance.
A sign of things was to come shortly afterwards as the assistant in front of the Harry Potts Longside didn’t bother with a blatant offside that allowed Ade Akinbiyi to have a clear shot on goal but Danny Coyne made a magnificent stop.
It was certainly a bright opening and it got even brighter when Mo Camara got down the left and crossed for Robbie who was brought down by the Stoke defender for a clear penalty.
Incredibly this is the first penalty we have had at home this year and Robbie wasn’t going to miss the opportunity and gave de Goey no chance at all as he crashed it into the corner to the keeper’s right.
We were well on top now and twice came close to adding a third. Firstly Micah Hyde got in a superb striker from outside the box but it was bettered by the save as de Goey somehow tipped it over the top.
Then Blake got clear on the left hand side of the box and squared the ball for Chappy who looked certain to make it 3-0 but Hill managed to block his shot and the danger was gone.
From what could have been 3-0 it was soon 2-1 as Stoke pulled one back from a corner with Akinbiyi scoring from close range. And worse was to follow.
Michael Duff had already been booked when he was adjudged to have handled the ball just in front of the Bob Lord Stand and not far from the
We reshuffled to a 4-4-1 formation with Micah Hyde going to right back, as he had done for the entire game last Tuesday, and we survived the last few minutes until half time.
It was going to be difficult in the second half and we certainly needed to hold that one goal advantage for as long as possible. Sadly we didn’t and within five minutes of the restart Akinbiyi got his second as they got through the right hand side of our defence.
Now it was going to be tough and Steve Cotterill quickly made a change bringing on the loan youngster from
Duffy had what can only be described as a shaky start as he nervously tried to find his way into the game but that didn’t last long and even though Stoke brought on the experienced Steve Guppy he gave nothing away and looked a very accomplished player.
He has a good touch, was certainly calm in some difficult situations and really does look a good footballer in the making.
It was largely defending from the Clarets whilst trying to catch Stoke on the break. We should without any doubt have had another penalty for handball, but again the assistant with a clear view just didn’t want to know. I’m not sure why we have them any longer when they just do not bother to make decisions.
And close to the end Robbie came close with a shot from a tight angle on the left after he had been played in by an excellent ball from Chappy.
At the other end Stoke bombarded us, they don’t bother to play much in the way of football. They push and they shove and they do all they can to rip your shirt off your back, but amidst all this the central defensive partnership stood firm in another inspired performance.
When they were beaten Coyne was there to keep the goal intact and made one stunning save from Gifton Noel-Williams, he was the one who left the field holding most of McGreal’s shirt in his hand.
They didn’t create much in the way of clear cut chances and we were able to hold on to at least the one point.
Once again though a match changed on a red card, and a red card that those who had a good view will tell you was a bad decision. Yet a couple of bad tackles went unpunished whilst the behaviour from Stoke manager Tony Pulis made you wonder just how he managed to last the whole game on the touchline.
Not content with abusing both the fourth official and the assistant his comments to the
Stoke are currently up there in the play off positions, I suspect they won’t be there come the end of the season. And given the poor turnout of visiting fans I think they must be of the same opinion.
Mind you most of them didn’t bother to come to support their own team, but just to have a go at Steve Cotterill. The Stoke fans, who just won’t allow themselves to move on, were drowned out by the home fans who gave him a standing ovation.
Two goals up after nineteen minutes at home it has to be said this is two points dropped, but it is also a point gained after playing over half the game with ten men when once again each and every player gave his all for us.
Again, as last week, I pick out John McGreal as my man of the match. Steve Cotterill has made some very good signings for Burnley FC, this one, his first, was inspirational.
We do need to turn some of these draws into wins but with a stronger looking squad, I think that might be just around the corner.
The teams were,
Burnley
Stoke: Ed de Goey, John Halls, Wayne Thomas, Gerry Taggart, Clint Hill (Steve Guppy 63), Darel Russell, Clive Clarke, Dave Brammer (Kris Henry 78), Marcus Hall, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi (Carl Asaba 85). Subs not used: Steve Simonsen, Chris Greenacre.
Referee: Michael Jones (
Attendance: 12,981.