We were so close

Last updated : 17 October 2004 By Tony Scholes

Micah Hyde - best performance yet for the Clarets
Full back Matt Richards hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner with just a few seconds left of normal time and things could have been worse as the home side came frighteningly close to hitting a winner.

There’ll be much debate about the leveller with Mo Camara down in the box. The Burnley fans were adamant that the home side should have put the ball out to allow Camara to get treatment, as it was Shefki Kuqi nearly fell over him in the box as he got in position to square the ball across for Richards.


But the fact is Camara continued afterwards and didn’t need treatment – Ipswich would have looked pretty stupid had they put the ball out only to see the Clarets’ defender get up.


Maybe the referee could have stopped it but there again he didn’t do us any favours all afternoon and it was no surprise to see virtually all the decisions go the way of the home side and all the bookings go our way. This is one downright bad referee, it is the third time I have seen him and he has been appalling on all three occasions.


Earlier in the afternoon things were going well and after an opening burst from Ipswich that we dealt with comfortably we started to come into the game and shook the home support by taking the lead after 19 minutes.

The impressive Micah Hyde won the ball and got it to Ian Moore who then played it forward for Hyde to run on to. He in turn squared the ball for Robbie Blake who was free on the left hand side of the box. He made no mistake placing the ball into the bottom corner for our second away goal of the season.


And it could have been even better just a couple of minutes later. Ipswich, all at sea, conceded a corner and at the second attempt Robbie got the ball across for Mooro and his header was just about cleared off the line.

The home side were still having plenty of possession but they weren’t creating anything. Dean Bowditch was proving to be a handful but Michael Duff was dealing with him well. They did go up for a penalty for handball against Frank Sinclair but this homer of a referee said no which tells you that it wasn’t even close.


Long Ball Joe apparently saw it clearly from about eighty yards away and claimed it was a spot kick (is he a relative of Craig Brown?) but my view was clearer and nearer and it was not a penalty.


The half ended with Lewis Price saving from Ian Moore and that just about summed it up, they had a lot of possession but we had the shots on goal, the chances and we thoroughly deserved the half time lead.


Danny Coyne - a series of outstanding saves late in the game
The opinion amongst the fans was that we would need to keep it tight for the first ten minutes of the second half but it almost all went wrong when Frank Sinclair conceded a needless free kick on the edge of our own box.


Former KKMC midfielder Kevin Horlock hammered his free kick against the bar and we feared the onslaught.

It didn’t come and in fact in a spell midway through that second half we created ourselves three good chances with keeper Price saving well from Chappy, Branch and Blake. Had any one of them gone in we would surely have been returning from Suffolk with a win for the first time in 35 years.

None of them did and Ipswich seized their chance and even before the goal we were grateful to Danny Coyne for three outstanding saves as we were put under pressure.


Steve Cotterill was forced to make on change, Michael Duff was replaced by Richard Duffy after going down with what looked like cramp. He then made two others as he introduced Lee Roche and Jean-Louis Valois.


Then came that late equaliser followed by the save of the match. As the equaliser went in the fourth official held up the board for five extra minutes, all of which had come from Burnley injuries.


And we feared the worst as Ipswich stormed forward. It was Tommy Miller who smashed an effort which hit the underside of our bar before coming out off the post. It looked all over as Pablo Counago got on the end of the rebound and I just don’t know how the magnificent Coyne got close to it, never mind save it.

The last five minutes were long as we were put under enormous pressure but we survived it and at least claimed a point to bring home. It could though have been all three and having kept Ipswich out for much of the game with some comfort, no one could have argued against it.

Man of the Match is a difficult one with Coyne coming right into the equation with those late saves, but I’ll stick with my initial thoughts and give it to Micah who had his best game yet in a Claret & Blue shirt.

The home fans cried, “Boring, boring, Burnley,” and that was music to my ears. And Lenny Johnrose is probably sat somewhere knocking it. I can tell you Lenny, this is far better than losing 6-5 at Grimsby.

Despite the late goal this was still a good day and a good result for the Clarets – make no mistake about that.


The teams were,


Ipswich:
Lewis Price, Drissa Diallo, Richard Naylor, Jason De Vos, Matt Richards, Tommy Miller, Jim Magilton, Kevin Horlock, Ian Westlake, Shefki Kuqi, Dean Bowditch (Pablo Counago 50). Subs not used: Shane Supple, Aidan Collins, Scott Mitchell, Antonio Murray.

Burnley: Danny Coyne, Michael Duff (Richard Duffy 75), Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Ian Moore (Lee Roche 79), Richard Chaplow (Jean-Louis Valois 87), Tony Grant, Micah Hyde, Graham Branch, Robbie Blake. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Amadou Sanokho.


Referee:
Brian Curson (Leicester).


Attendance:
23,183.