The Kink`s Waterloo Sunset Denies Clarets

The Clarets met their Waterloo at the Riverside Stadium last night losing 2-1 to Middlesbrough thanks to two goals from Boro substitute Tarmo Kink. Even worse for Clarets fans to stomach was the fact that the second of his brace came in the fourth minute of the four minutes of added time just when it had looked like we had at least secured a well-earned point .

The result means we drop a place to sixth on 10 points now six points behind league leaders, QPR who at the moment can`t seem to do any wrong after beating Ipswich 3-0 at Portman Road last night.

Brian Laws, much to the delight of Clarets fans, had decided to change his starting eleven for this game. As predicted, Tyrone Mears returned after his one-match suspension replacing David Edgar at right back who dropped back to the bench. However Laws also named Chris Eagles and Jack Cork in his starting eleven, something which Clarets fans had been wanting for some time. The side looked in so much better shape when they came on from the bench against Preston at Turf Moor on Saturday and it would appear Laws agreed by naming them in his starting eleven for the Boro clash. Martin Paterson and Dean Marney drew the short straws having to be content with a place on the bench. We still however persisted in having a loan striker up front and that was Chris Iwelumo. There had been some concern he had still not fully shaken off his hamstring problem despite scoring a hat-trick last Saturday but he came through in the end.

In summary then the Clarets line-up was as follows:

Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox, Alexander, Eagles, Cork, Elliott, Wallace, Iwelumo

Subs: Grant, Edgar, Cort, Marney, Paterson, Rodriguez, Thompson

Boro fans were not a happy bunch ahead of this clash, listening to comments on local radio and they were certainly not expecting to win. This could explain the very poor turn out from the home contingent with a gate of only 15,033 and plenty of empty seats evident. About 1000 of those were Clarets fans and we seemed to easily outshout the Boro supporters who looked less than inspired rattling in the home sections of the ground. It was perhaps typical that it was Burnley in the end who gave Gordon Strachan a lifeline by coming away pointless.

Yorkshire referee, Jon Moss got the game underway and it was Boro who gave the Clarets an early shock. In the fourth minute a rampant-looking Leroy Lita put over a dangerous cross and Scott McDonald should have done better from close range electing instead to somehow scoop the ball over the bar, much to the relief of Clarets fans. He then later forced a good save from Jensen before lifting another effort over the top. The Clarets had little to shout about in the first half with scoring opportunities few and far between although gradually they did come more and more into the game. A cross from Wallace found the head of Iwelumo but the ball flew over the bar. Bikey then came close with a header from another Wallace cross but the ball hit the post. 0-0 then at half-time and you just sensed that the Clarets had once more failed to hit top gear despite the line-up changes.

Laws made no changes for the start of the second half and it was Boro who came close to breaking the deadlock first. Gary O`Neil hit a vicious volley at the far post bringing out another fine save from Jensen before the Clarets began their best spell leading to the first goal. In a 20 minute period, the Clarets seemed to take control with some mazy runs and crosses from Chris Eagles in particular. It was Wallace though down the opposite flank forcing a corner in the 65th minute that led to our opening goal. Alexander took the corner and Bikey got up to head home past Steele. How many times have we scored from a corner this season? We used to be a laughing stock in that department so that change for the better is something positive to cheer about at least!

That goal should have demoralised Boro but we let them off the hook and seemed to take our foot off the gas allowing them to come at us for the remainder of the game. Strachan though made an inspired substitution on 75 minutes bringing on Kink for O`Neil and four minutes later the Estonian international had levelled the score. He picked up a lay-off from McDonald to rifle home a low left-footed shot past Jensen into the bottom corner of the net.

Burnley looked to be holding on for a still satisfying point with four minutes of added time running out but disaster struck for the Clarets in the last of those four minutes.

Leroy Lita was judged to have been fouled just outside the penalty area despite the protests by the Clarets and from the free-kick, Kink thumped the ball home past Jensen into the top corner of the net. With the seconds of the last minute of added time ticking down, there was just time for Jensen to rush up to the other end after the Clarets were awarded a corner. It came to nothing though and Boro fans went home happy having secured only their second win of the season. The Clarets fans though had to go home demoralised with the club still looking for their first away win of the season.

Match Stats

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Bates, McManus, Robson, O’Neil (Kink 75), Halliday (Boyd 72), Arca, Tavares, McDonald, Lita

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Hines, McMahon, Bailey, Smallwood

Booked: None

Goals: Kink (79, 90+4)

Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox, Alexander, Eagles (Rodriguez 87),Cork, Elliott, Wallace, Iwelumo (Thompson 68)

Subs Not Used: Grant, Edgar, Cort, Marney, Paterson

Booked: Yellow cards for Carlisle, Bikey and Wallace

Goal: Bikey (65)

Possession: 42% Middlebrough, 58% Burnley (Source: BBC Sport)

Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire)