We won through to Round Three – I think it was us in grey

Last updated : 24 September 2003 By Tony Scholes

Luke Chadwick - scored our first goal in an impressive first half performance
It was a difficult game to get to grips with as Scunthorpe appeared to have turned out in our kit and although their colours are officially Claret & Blue this is the first time I have seen them where a kit anything like ours.

There was no doubt it caused some confusion and it really did take some getting used to. The last time we played an away match against a team in a similar kit was way back in 1980 in a League Cup tie at West Ham.

During the second half the home side brought on their number fifteen and a number of people were heard to say that Branchy was coming on.

Quite often in these sort of games the higher division side has to first cope with early pressure from a hyped up home team but this was not the case and the Clarets (that’s us) soon got into their stride and could have taken an early lead when Luke Chadwick was put clear after a superb ball from David May but he shot straight at their keeper.

Scunthorpe were barely getting a look in and most of the play was directed towards their goal. It seemed only a matter of time before we went in front and that finally came midway through the half.

When the ball fell to Chadwick in the box after a good move he made no mistake and hit the ball into the bottom corner before disappearing into the darkness to celebrate. It was just what we needed and the game had gone so much our way that a big win really did look on the cards.

But Scunthorpe came back and came close to an equaliser after a promising move but a David May took it wide with keeper Brian Jensen beaten and the Danish keeper had to suffer some very meaningful stares from the Burnley defenders.

There were more than stares a couple of minutes later though when Jensen failed to come and collect a cross and Steve MacLean was able to score with some ease. Captain David May completely lost it with Jensen and for one horrible moment it appeared that the argument could have boiled over into something worse.

In the end Mo Camara came over to act as peacemaker but Jensen, clearly at fault, appeared to want to continue with the argument.

We had a shaky few minutes after that but recovered and went back in front around three minutes before the interval. Chadwick was again involved and played the ball in from the left for Robbie Blake who controlled the ball superbly before taking it past the keeper and scoring with some ease from a tight angle.

That took us into the half time interval in front, and deservedly so, but we really should have been further in front than we were. In fact the tie could have been over by this time.

Ian Moore - completed the scoring for Burnley
One goal is never enough and never was that more clear than the opening twenty minutes of the second half. We quite simply were awful and didn’t seem able to get much right at all. The previously sound looking defence was suddenly struggling with Jensen behind them looking anything but secure.

The midfield had gone AWOL and even when we got the ball cleared it was coming straight back. Stan often talks about ball retention, he said after the recent win at Stoke how good it had been. During this period it was non existent as we allowed Scunthorpe to dictate.

Another howler from Jensen saw Scunthorpe’s Steve Torpey get an effort on goal but Fred West came to the keeper’s rescue to clear off the line.

The visiting fans were certainly getting very restless but eventually we were able to ease the pressure and finally get hold of the ball. At last we looked as though we might even be able to create something for ourselves.

And we did as Blake got through down the right and when he played the ball across Ian Moore made sure with a first time shot from just inside the penalty area. The pressure had been lifted and it was almost four but the woodwork again prevented Gareth Farrelly from notching his first Burnley goal.

Surely it was all over now but there was to be one more twist when Scunthorpe won a free kick just outside the box. Peter Beagrie, on as a sub, took the kick and scored directly but once again fingers were pointing at Jensen who appeared to get both hands to the ball.

That meant we had to endure a nervous last few minutes before referee Fletcher finally brought an end to proceedings.

The object of the exercise was to get through and we have, but it should have been much easier than this against a very average looking 3rd Division side. We once again contributed to the goals we conceded and this time the keeper really must look at what was a miserable performance.

There were good things about the performance though, we had defended well in the first half and were also able to open them up with some ease during that period. But we weren’t able to sustain it and questions need to be asked as to how we allowed them into the game so easily at the beginning of the second half.

A year ago on a cold night in Huddersfield we had to endure 120 minutes of a weary game to reach the 3rd round, this time on an equally cold night in Scunthorpe we at least got there 30 minutes quicker. We can though play much better than this.

But the Clarets (or is that the Greys) have gone through and after six successive away ties during 2003 in cup competitions surely we will get a home tie when the next round is drawn this Saturday.

The teams were,

Scunthorpe: Sam Russell, Matt Sparrow, Kevin Sharp (Peter Beagrie 73), Jamie McCombe, Andy Butler, Lee Featherstone, Richard Kell, Cliff Byrne, Terry Barwick, Steven MacLean (Paul Hayes 80), Steve Torpey. Subs not used: Tom Evans.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West, David May, Andy Todd, Mo Camara, Ian Moore, Paul Weller, Gareth Farrelly, Luke Chadwick, Robbie Blake, Delroy Facey. Subs not used: Lee Roche, Graham Branch, Richard Chaplow, Matt O’Neill.

Referee: Mick Fletcher (Warley).