You`re Not Superior, Burnley Are Superior!

The Clarets progressed to the third round of the Capital One Cup last night after defeating League One Preston North End 2-0 in the local derby at Turf Moor. It was pretty much a routine win and Burnley rarely looked troubled despite a plucky performance at times from the visitors. In all honesty Burnley let the Lilywhites come at them in the second half after two goals in the first half had given the Clarets a convincing lead at half-time. A free-kick from full-back Kieran Tripper put the Clarets in front after just six minutes and it was then left to Danny Ings to double our lead in the 34th minute with a well-taken shot after a brilliant mazy run. Although Preston had quite a bit of possession especially in the second-half they created few real chances although deputy goalkeeper, Alex Cisak was performing well and kept them at bay when it was needed! The one time, Cisak looked to have been beaten it was left to Jason Shackell to preserve our clean sheet by clearing a Stuart Beavon header off the line. Burnley perhaps should have consolidated their lead in the second half rather than take their foot off the accelerator but in the end it was the Nobbers fans who went home disappointed dreaming of the days when they really thought they were superior!

Team Sheet

Sean Dyche could easily have chosen the same eighteen that lined-up against Brighton for this clash except of course for the suspended Tom Heaton but he decided to make three changes. Ben Mee was preferred at left back to Danny Lafferty who was dropped to the bench and he was joined by another player making his first appearance of the season, Michael Duff. Duff replaced Kevin Long who had a bit of a mare against the Seagulls. There was also a change in midfield with David Edgar taking over from Dean Marney. Alex Cisak in goal was given his first start for the Clarets after making his Burnley debut in the Amex Stadium last Saturday, following Heaton`s red card for a second bookable offence. This meant our third-string keeper, Nick Liversedge was named on the bench. In summary then we lined up as follows :

Cisak, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Treacy, Jones, Edgar, Arfield, Vokes, Ings

Subs: Liversedge ,Lafferty ,Long, Marney ,Stanislas ,Stock, Noble

Full Match Report

Wigan referee, Paul Tierney got the game underway on a pleasant warm night in Burnley. Despite only 10,648 fans turning up, 2,920 of them from Preston, the effect of closing the top stands in the Jimmy Mac and James Hargreaves worked in the sense there was an electric atmosphere around the ground. Two minutes into the game there was a minute applause by both sets of fans in support of former Clarets and Lilywhites defender Gary Parkinson, who continues to battle back from ‘locked-in syndrome` caused by a stroke suffered in 2010. The clapping had hardly died down when three minutes later the Clarets were ahead. Sam Vokes thirty yards from goal was fouled as he was turning and from the free-kick Trippier unleashed a dipping shot that completely confused the hesitant-looking Preston keeper. Stuckmann could only stick his leg out to deflect the ball high into the net. Simon Grayson`s men now looked clueless with Burnley`s game lifted by the early goal now going up another notch as the pressure on the Preston defence continued. Five minutes after the first goal the Clarets nearly doubled their lead after Trippier put over a typical deep cross from the right. Vokes at the far post though could only head over at full stretch. Edgar`s header from a Treacy corner was also headed off the line as the Clarets continued to bombard the shell-shocked Preston defence. Having weathered the storm though, Preston gradually came back into the game and began to test the Burnley defence. Alex Cisak made the fist of quite a few good saves at his near post to deny Stuart Beavon who had cleverly found his way into the area and from the resulting corner, Tom Clarke headed just wide of target. Preston may well have got the equaliser they were seeking if Burnley very much against the run of play had not doubled their advantage in the 34th minute. What a splendid individual goal it was too from Danny Ings. David Jones was the architect of the move after finding Vokes 30 yards from goal. Ings took over control though and weaved through the back four on one hell of a mazy run to thump a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. Preston still tried to get back in the game though and eight minutes from the end of the first half it was left to Cisak to make another fine save after diving to his right to parry away a header from Bailey Wright. It remained 2-0 to the Clarets though at the break.

Sean Dyche content with the first-half performance made no changes for the start of the second-half but it was Preston who began to look like the team most likely to score next. Burnley seemed to take their foot off the accelerator and lose control of the midfield. Immediately from the restart Iain Hume nodded the ball down for Beavon to head on target only for Shackell to clear off the line. A long-range shot from Joel Byrom also flew just wide of Cisak`s left hand post with the keeper a relieved onlooker. In the 55th minute Byrom looked to be on target from a 30-yard dipping free kick but Cisak was equal to it tipping the ball over the bar from a corner. Nevertheless Burnley were a bit under the cosh now and they really needed to get back in the game to avoid a nervous end to the match. Despite the pressure though, Burnley always looked dangerous on the break and Danny Ings nearly sealed it for the Clarets on the hour mark before Stuckmann foiled the striker`s attempt to walk the ball around him. Michael Duff also picked up the ball from a half-cleared corner only to see his effort volleyed over the bar. Preston`s chances to get back in the game were now evaporating and even the double-substitution bringing on veteran striker, Kevin Davies and Nicky Wroe in the 73rd minute had little effect. Burnley now saw the game out with some ease to progress to the next round.

Match Stats

Burnley: Cisak, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Treacy (Marney – 66), Jones (Stock – 81), Edgar, Arfield, Vokes, Ings (Stanislas – 84)

Subs Not Used: Liversedge Lafferty, Long, Noble

Goals: Trippier 6, Ings 34

Booked: Yellow Cards for Trippier (65 mins) and Shackell (79 mins)

Preston North End: Stuckmann, Huntington, Clarke, Wright, Keane, Laird, Humphrey, Holmes (Wroe – 73), Byrom, Beavon (Garner – 89), Hume (Davies – 73)

Subs Not Used: Rudd, Buchanan, Welsh, Mousinho

Booked: Yellow Card for Byrom (76 mins)

Possession: 51% Burnley, 49% Preston (Source: BBC Sport)

Ref: Paul Tierney(Wigan)