It Feels Like a Loss

In yet another match where the Clarets would have taken a point at the start of this game against new boys, Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, the simple fact is that the manner in which we did not take all three points makes the 1-1 draw on the day feel like a defeat.

This was the first time the Clarets had ever played Swansea in their relatively new stadium which opened in 2005. You have to go back to the 1995/96 Season for the last time the two sides met and in those days of course Swansea played at their former ground, Vetch Field.

Hopes were high for the Clarets that a third consecutive victory could be on the cards and it would have been had Swansea not equalised in the third minute of the four minutes of injury time added on.

It had looked like a rare headed goal by substitute, Joey Gudjonsson on 59 minutes was going to be enough to propel the Clarets to within three points of local rivals, Preston.

Preston had a torrid time at home to league leaders, Wolves yesterday going down 3-1 and had we hung on the Clarets would just be those three points behind them, setting up nicely the local derby at Turf Moor next Saturday.

It wasn`t to be though and a defensive blunder by Jordan let in Ferrie Bodde for the Swans to equalise at the death with Clarets boss Owen Coyle still wondering where four minutes of extra time came from in the first place.

‘It did feel like a loss with the late goal we conceded. We were in control of the game and are disappointed to leave with a point, said Coyle

‘I don’t know where the referee found the extra time; I did find it strange he decided to play four minutes of added time.

‘My watch isn’t the greatest in the world but it doesn’t account for that amount of time.

‘I’m gutted for my players as we put so much into this game. It was a kick in the teeth but we move on from this with confidence.’

The solitary point leaves the Clarets in 13th place (down one) on 9 points, just two points off the play-offs positions and now five points behind Preston who remain in 3rd place. The draw also ensures we keep our unbeaten run going with now six games since defeat.

Coyle selected the same starting eleven as the last two matches for this game and it would have been the same sixteen but for the news that Ade Akinbiyi had picked up a back injury and had not travelled. Jay Rodriguez took his place on the bench.

The Clarets therefore lined up as follows:

Jensen, Jordan, Carlisle, Caldwell, Anderson, Alexander, Elliott, McCann, McDonald, Paterson, Thompson

Subs: Penny, Gudjonsson, Mahon, Blake, Rodriguez

Alexander was again in the holding role just in front of the back four. The Clarets had now gone five matches undefeated since moving Alexander into that role
The Clarets lined up 4-1-4-1 with Paterson up front supported by Elliott and Thompson and indeed we did seem to play more 4-1-2-3 on occasions.

Swansea unbeaten at home this season so far made four changes to the team. Surprisingly, hot shot 1-goal-in-2-match striker, Jason Scotland found himself relegated from the starting eleven and on the bench. Speculation was that he may have picked up a knock although he was to feature later on in the match playing the last 20 minutes of the game.

West Midlands referee, Andy Hall was in charge of this game and Clarets fans might recall the last time we had this referee for one of our matches. He was the referee that sent off Darren Purse in our match against Cardiff at Turf Moor back in April this year. Andrew Cole if you recall had a bloody gashed leg after Purse lunged at him but the wimps at the Welsh FA overturned the sending off.

Was Hall on his guard, now he was in Wales? Certainly on the evidence of this performance, he could only be classed as a homer, letting goal scorer, Bodde get away with murder throughout the game and booking four of our players to only two of the Swans.

As the match got underway, it was the Swans who started the more lively putting the Clarets under pressure in the first five minute spell.

From the Clarets first corner of the game though, Caldwell picked up an injury from a stray boot that required extensive treatment with the fear he might have got concussion. However thankfully the Clarets captain could continue and the match got underway again.

Wade Elliott got the better of two Swans defenders but the ball was then headed behind for a corner. At the other end of the pitch Bessone perplexed Russell Anderson only for his cross to be cleared by Chris McCann.

Paterson came close on 22 minutes with our first attempt on goal but his right footed shot was saved by Swans keeper, De Vries.

A 30 yard drive by Chris McCann was unable to thwart the keeper as a rather scrappy first half came to a close.
Owen Coyle made one change for the start of the first half with Gudjonsson replacing Kevin McDonald.

By a strange coincidence Swansea also replaced their MacDonald with Mark Gower but in a bizarre incident in which they failed to inform the referee of the change, the first action of the second half saw Gower cautioned accordingly.

The Clarets though with 59 minutes on the clock then took the lead. Elliott in space put in a glorious cross to the back post. Gudjonsson was there to head home and open his account for the season.

Steve Thompson, getting some stick from the home crowd because of his Cardiff connection nearly shut the Swans fans up to make it 2-0 but his shot was saved by De Vries.

Striker, Jason Scotland finally came on to play after 73 minutes giving Coyle another chance to see what effect his former player at St Johnstone would have on a game.

He soon got his answer as the 29 year old Trinidad & Tobago International brought out a good save from Jensen for a corner. In Swansea`s best spell of the game, Bodde hit the cross bar with a header from the corner and a few minutes later, Gomez nearly got the equaliser from a free kick but the ball dipped onto the roof of the net.

Blake for Paterson on 75 minutes and then Mahon for Thompson after 80 minutes came on with the Clarets now changing to 4-5-1 in an effort to hold on.

The Clarets looked to have weathered the storm and were heading for victory as four minutes of injury time were surprisingly announced.

A defensive blunder by Jordan though as the clock ticked down saw Angel Rangel pass to Bodde who made no mistake four yards from goal thus breaking the hearts of 622 Clarets fans who had ventured into Wales to see this game.

The Clarets had no time to respond and the final whistle went with a relieved Swansea side maintaining their unbeaten home record and the Clarets rueing yet another two points lost and for the sake of holding on for just another 60 seconds.

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Swansea: De Vries, Williams, Monk, Bessone, Rangel, Bodde, Britton, Pratley (Gomez 61), Orlandi (Scotland 73), MacDonald (Gower 46), Pintado.

Subs Not Used: Tate, Brandy.

Booked: Orlandi, Gower.

Goals: Bodde 90.

Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, McDonald (Gudjonsson 46), Elliott, McCann, Anderson, Paterson (Blake 75), Thompson (Mahon 80).

Subs Not Used: Penny, Rodriguez.

Booked: McDonald, Jordan, Carlisle, Caldwell.

Goals: Gudjonsson 59.

Ref: Andy Hall (W Midlands).