Ternent Keeps His Sights Low

By Longsider
December 8 2003

A look back at Saturday's victory through the eyes of the media. This week we have reports from the Sunday Times, Sunday Telegrpah and the Guardian.

WARNOCK SEEKS QUIET LIFE
(Sunday Times)


SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Neil Warnock has been told to make changes to his lifestyle this week due to mild heart disease. Perhaps he is heeding that advice.
A nightmare debut from his goalkeeper Lee Baxter and a controversial penalty gifted the three points to Burnley.



Such an afternoon would have been enough to boil Warnock’s blood in years gone by, yet he was calmness personified and generous in his praise of Burnley afterwards. He said with a smile: “I thought it was a great advertisement for Division One football although it wasn’t so good for the managers.”

Warnock also explained his decision to substitute the hapless Baxter, making his first start after joining from Malmö this week: “The first two goals had knocked Lee’s confidence a bit so I decided I needed to calm things down.”

Warnock replaced Baxter with Alan Fettis at the break but his hopes of salvaging the game were hit when Michael Brown was shown a straight red card for a reckless lunge on Robbie Blake.


BAXTER BLUNDERS PROVE BURNLEY'S SAVING GRACE
(Guardian)

Neil Warnock took a thinly veiled swipe at Steve Bruce after seeing his new goalkeeper cost his side crucial points in a nightmare debut.
The Sheffield United manager thought he was on the verge of signing Birmingham City's Ian Bennett last week to cover a goalkeeping crisis before Bruce pulled the plug at the last minute.

Instead Warnock was forced to bring in the 27-year-old Lee Baxter from the Swedish club Malmo. He admitted he did not know much about his new signing ahead of this game. He is a wiser man now. Baxter appeared at fault for Burnley's first two goals before he was hauled off at half-time.

"He'll be disappointed with the goals he let in," Warnock said. "Lee was distraught afterwards but I told him that life goes on. It's cost us dearly here but there is a lot worse things happen in life."

The manager did not try to hide his disappointment at the Bennett deal falling through. "I was disappointed to be let down as badly as I was late on last week," he said. "I think you really learn who your friends are in these situations and I ended up having to look elsewhere."

The Burnley striker Robbie Blake was the first to benefit from Baxter's jitters when his speculative 20-yard shot slipped through the goalkeeper's grasp early on.

Burnley dominated the first 20 minutes of a pulsating match yet surprisingly had only that goal to show for their efforts - a return they regretted when they found themselves behind on the half-hour.

First Nick Montgomery neatly slotted home from Wayne Allison's flick-on and then the veteran defender Mike Whitlow rose highest to head in Michael Tonge's cross.

The home side were deservedly back on terms only three minutes later and were again grateful to Baxter as Ian Moore's header from a Blake free-kick somehow eluded him.

There was still time for more drama before an incredible first half ended as Chris Morgan was adjudged to have fouled Mark McGregor and Blake scored from the spot.

The second period was something of an anticlimax. United's hopes of salvaging a point took a knock when Michael Brown was sent off for a lunge on Blake, yet United's 10 men rallied and Burnley were grateful to their own goalkeeper Brian Jensen for two fine saves to keep them at bay.

Burnley's manager Stan Ternent has never seen eye to eye with Warnock and proved it by offering some words of sympathy to Baxter. "I'm sure their manager will use the keeper as an excuse but I thought the first goal definitely moved in the air," he said.

"I didn't think he had a chance with Moore's header and in the end he made one or two saves."


TERNENT KEEPS HIS SIGHTS LOW
(Sunday Telegraph)


Burnley manager Stan Ternent declared himself happy to avoid relegation; opposite number Neil Warnock confidently forecast that Sheffield United are capable of contesting the shake-up at the sharper end of the First Division.

Burnley's victory, secured in a rousing and eventful encounter in which all the goals came in the opening half, extended an unbeaten run to four games, even though they are anchored in the lower half of the table.

Ternent vehemently dismissed the question of possible play-off contention, when he said: "I'll be happy to stay out of the bottom three." Ternent's resources are so slim he could field only four substitutes. Sheffield's situation is in stark contrast but defeat at Turf Moor was no disgrace. Reduced to 10 men following the 58th-minute straight red card for Michael Brown's lunge at Robbie Blake, the visitors finished the stronger.

The home team had been gifted two goals by debutant goalkeeper Lee Baxter, who failed to deal with a swerving Blake shot and an Ian Moore header. Blake's decisive penalty on the stroke of half time came after Nick Montgomery had achieved parity and Mike Whitlow's first United goal had briefly claimed the lead.