Uncategorized

Not a Massacre but Burnley Tykes It!

|
Image for Not a Massacre but Burnley Tykes It!

On this St Valentine`s Day night, the Clarets may well have been hoping for a massacre against Barnsley at home. That did not quite happen, but we were in complete control for most of the game, kept yet another clean sheet and collected three vital points in a 2-0 victory. The win sees the Clarets climb to tenth in the table and more importantly keep our play-offs dreams on track. Burnley are now just four points behind Reading in 6th place who we play next at the Madejski Stadium this Friday in front of the live Sky Sports cameras! The Royals are just behind fifth place Birmingham on goal difference although both teams have a one game advantage over the Clarets.

Burnley came storming out of the blocks at the start of the first half and were ahead within 3 minutes after Ross Wallace crossed from the right, Josh McQuoid knocked the ball down at the far post and Rodriguez routinely slotted home to score his 18th goal of the season, his fourth in four games! The Clarets were rampant at this stage and threatened to set up that massacre after all. Burnley may well have been on track too but for some poor refereeing decisions most notably when a Charlie Austin header was ruled not to have crossed the line despite strong protests from the fans in the Jimmy Mac that it clearly had.

The game quietened down a bit after that but Burnley never really looked threatened and easily contained the few attacks Barnsley managed to muster. It was never comfortable though only being just the one goal to the good and it was with some relief that Burnley doubled their lead in the 63rd minute. Dean Marney released Rodriguez and, although he struck the post, Austin tapped in which was a great relief for him after a mini-goal famine of late.

In the end then a good, convincing win with the Red Rose team the victor in this War of the Roses clash! Quite an appropriate Rose for St Valentines and there was certainly a lot of love shown by the fans both to the team for this performance and to our Chairman, Barry Kilby. He was warmly applauded in the 13th minute in a very emotional round of clapping for 60 seconds culminating in Barry waving to the fans from the Director`s box. He had of course sadly announced he would be stepping down as chairman in May due to illness after 13 years at the helm! Get well soon Barry.

The Line-Up

Eddie Howe made just one change to the starting eleven following the 2-0 defeat away to Southampton on Saturday. Josh McQuoid returned to make a start with Treacy returning to the bench. There was one further change on the bench with Danny Ings being selected for the first time for the first team after recovering from the cartilage injury that had kept him sidelined for most of the season.

We therefore lined up as follows:

Grant, Trippier, Duff, Edgar, Mee, Wallace, McCann, Marney, McQuoid, Rodriguez, Austin

Substitutes: Jensen, Easton, Bartley, Treacy, Ings

Full Match Report

West Midlands referee, Oliver Langford got this game underway on a relatively mild night compared to recent sub-zero temperatures and Clarets fans were soon enjoying an even warmer glow with Burnley storming out of the blocks and taking the lead as early as the third minute.

A lively Ross Wallace had seen quite a bit of the ball already in these early exchanges and from one of his telling deep crosses, Josh McQuoid towered above the rest to head on target. The ball already looked to be on its way into the back of the net before Jay Rodriguez decided to make sure by sliding in to score.

Burnley now looked to turn the screw and were in complete control with Barnsley wondering what had hit them. Somehow though they weathered the 20 minute storm! Rodriguez set up Marney but his low shot skidded just wide of target. Trippier then charged forward from defence to test a hesitant-looking Tykes keeper but once again they survived. It was Trippier again who was in the action getting over a cross in the best move of the half that finished with Charlie Austin heading just over. It was all Burnley now. Rodriguez came close to getting his second but his volley flew wide.

It is difficult to remember any meaningful Barnsley attack in the first half although Craig Davies did get in a shot which Grant dealt with quite easily. The Clarets kept up the pressure having a spate of corners to test the shaky looking Barnsley defence. It looked like we had finally doubled our lead when Austin got in a header from a Wallace delivery and the keeper spilled it. The ball looked to have crossed the line before David Perkins cleared it. The referee though waved play on much to the annoyance of a section of the Jimmy Mac crowd who were convinced the ball had crossed the line. The television pictures confirmed this later on proving once again that we really need to introduce goal-line technology as soon as possible.

Burnley had to be content with just the one goal then at half-time with Barnsley manager scratching his head wondering how he could stop the onslaught in the second-half. He started by making two changes for the start of the second-half but it had little effect with the Clarets continuing to enjoy the lion`s share of possession. They now just had to make it count with the fear that the Tykes might still catch us out on the break and equalise.

Trippier was in stunning form and Burnley nearly scored from two of his crosses in the first five minutes of the second half. Both McCann and Rodriguez though headed off-target.

There was always the danger though that Barnsley could get the equaliser and Burnley were reminded of that fact when Craig Davies hit a 25-yard strike against the bar. We badly needed another goal to steady the nerves and just past the hour mark we got it.

The build-up was simply quality with Marney and Wallace linking well to set up Rodriguez. Jay Rod`s shot though came back off the post but Austin was ideally placed to tap home and score his first goal since the Leeds match at Elland Road back in January.

The Clarets now scented blood and stepped up a gear. Almost immediately after the second goal, McQuoid volleyed just wide and then Austin was put clear by McCann but should have done better with his attempt. That would be Austin`s last action of the game and he was replaced by Danny Ings in the 82nd minute giving the former Bournemouth striker his first team debut at long last following his long recovery from the cartilage injury he had picked up in training at the start of the season.

Ings looked quite lively and impressive in his first run out which all augers well for the future. He could not influence the score line though and Burnley in the end had to be content with a 2-0 victory. So a workmanlike performance from the Clarets in the end and a victory they thoroughly deserved

The Post-Match Eddie-torial

Eddie Howe said after the game

‘We wanted a reaction and we got one. The lads were excellent tonight. I thought we played very well against a good side. We looked dangerous all night and our front two worked very hard.

‘From a physical point of view we have had a lot of games in the last few weeks and Barnsley didn’t play on Saturday but it didn’t show.

‘Barnsley are a good team. It was good to keep up the momentum for 90 minutes. We rode our luck a little bit when they hit the bar but I thought we deserved that.

‘Charlie Austin will have been pleased he scored tonight. In the games against Derby and Peterborough he had chances and it was pleasing that he was able to take them.’

Match Stats

Burnley: Grant, Trippier (Easton – 90), Duff, Edgar, Mee, McCann, Wallace (Bartley – 81), Marney, McQuoid, Rodriguez, Austin (Ings – 82)

Subs Not Used: Jensen, Treacy

Goals: Rodriguez 3, Austin 63

Booked: Yellow cards for Duff and McCann

Barnsley: Steele, Edwards, Wiseman, McNulty, Golbourne, Done (Dagnall – 46), Perkins (Doyle – 46), Smith, Tonge (O’Brien – 29), Davies, Gray,

Subs Not Used: Preece, Foster

Booked: 0

Possession: 55% Burnley, 45% Barnsley (Source: BBC Sport)

Ref: Oliver Langford (West Midlands)

Share this article

Vital BFC Editor

14 comments

  • turfmanphil says:

    Important win this! Will be happy with a point now away to Royals this Friday

  • AndyHo says:

    On this form I’d say 3.

  • WelshClaret says:

    Pity we didn’t play like this on Saturday, but never mind , a good return to form at home, and let’s hope we can continue the away wins at Reading on Friday.

  • Claretdale says:

    A point at Reading would be a very good result in my opinion. I feel we will end the season in mid-table but if we are to get promotion a sequence of win at home and draw away is normally more than enough.

  • Grimsby Claret says:

    A fairly good performance, not the best Ive seen this season but satisfying. I thought Trippier was outstanding he is possibly the best right back in the championship, but he is much more than that, A quality wing back, his cross to Jay was perfect pity he headed it over the bar. Young Grimsby thought Marney was MOM, . We could have had a shed
    full of goals but 3points will do nicely.

  • hollinsclaret says:

    Agree with Grimsby ” A fairly good performance” but no more than this, the opposition were very poor, the game should have been concluded in the first half yet we failed convincingly to see it off, if we have aspirations for a top six finish then we will have to be better than this !

  • AdamBurnleyFan says:

    Im sorry but is a point at Reading really enough ? If we are looking to be in with a good play-off shout these are games you have to win. It is potentially a six pointer because I believe Reading will be there or there abouts by the end of the season. Massive result if we can win it.

  • cornwallclaret says:

    I do not want to be too critical after a win but should we not be converting more efforts on goal. We had 29 attempts on Tuesday and scored two. I believe we are, or were, the leaders in goal attempts in all the leagues. An increase in the attempts being converted must equal many more points and at least goal difference.

  • VinRogue says:

    I sort of agree with hollins, but and this is the BUT, Barnsley did not score so the only issue is that the officials missed a goal and Jay and Austin faield to score enough to satisfy hollins? So that means the axe to grind is about our goals for and we got 2? We have been beaten by teams who have played far worse than Barnsley this season already. Wins and clean sheets could still see us in the play-offs.

  • RickersTwickers says:

    Agree with that Vin. The most important thing, particularly after a defeat, is always to win the next game. We know that promotion or a play-off berth is not always achieved by the best sides but more usually by the ones that have a bit of momentum going into the last third of the season. Birmingham, Blackpool and Reading are showing signs of doing that and if we can string a run of results together we might not be too far away either. 2-0 every week will certainly do for me. I suspect Reading will be a tough game on Friday as, whisper it quietly, I had a pre-season 50p wager on them to finish in the top three come the end of the campaign.

  • AndyHo says:

    If you were at Oakwell earlier in the season and compared the 2 performances (ours that is) we looked a different team completely on tuesday. I know there have been player changes but the whole dynamic of the team is more fluent and consistent. Take the Southhampton game out of the mix and the positives are showing through strongly. Having said that we have struggled to get the ball in the net one or two more times than I would have liked. (Leeds being a good example)

  • cornwallclaret says:

    That’s true VR and 3-0 does seem more of a good win than 2-0. Reading will be a very tough game come Friday RT and a draw there followed by 1-0 every week would do for me, dream on. Easter always seems to be the critical time and we are well place for a push then.

  • VinRogue says:

    Given the number of clean sheets, my biggest worry now (its changed) is in the centre of midfield where we have just 3 players, McCann, Marney and Bartley this could be our downfall if injuries or suspensions happen. I would prefer to have a fourth name that we know will do a job rather than the risk of promoting a youngster too early and at a critical time of the campaign.

  • turfmanphil says:

    If only we had Jack Cork! (sigh!). Alex Ray Harvey looks the nearest to making the step up

Comments are closed.