Burnley 2-0 QPR

The Clarets got their Championship campaign off to a winning start at Turf Moor thanks to an impressive brace from debutant Steve Jones. Jones scored on 59 and 69 minutes to ensure the Clarets finally broke down some stubborn QPR resistance.

It was a line-up that none of us would have expected Steve Cotterill to have chosen, but one that gave us plenty up front with Steve Jones, Andy Gray and Kyle Lafferty all named in the starting eleven.

The Beast was unsurprisingly given the goalkeeper’s jersey as Danny Coyne continues his recovery, with a defence consisting of Frank Sinclair at right-back, Jon Harley at left-back and Michael Duff being a surprising choice at centre-half alongside the captain Wayne Thomas.

The midfield was Chris McCann partnering James O’Connor in the centre, and Alan Mahon and Steve Jones in the wide positions, although as you can imagine, these two needed very little encouragement to get up and support the front two as often as possible.

Kyle Lafferty partnered Andy Gray up front in a decision that none of us could have anticipated, but it’s all experience for the young Northern Irishman. Lafferty was given 62 minutes and did OK, and this further match experience will surely help the development of Kyle, who looks like he is going to be very much part of the squad this season. With him and Chris McCann both starting, it shows that Cotterill is very much willing to blood the youngsters, which is encouraging.

Back to the match though and a good pre-match atmosphere welcomed the Clarets back to the Turf, and it is good to hear an atmosphere before the game, something that happens very rarely these days, especially since redevelopment, and it was refreshing to hear the songs going before the teams came out.

Having said that, once the game got going it was pretty much similar stuff to last season. “Here we go again”, we thought. Plenty of huffing and puffing from the Clarets, but little in the way of clear cut chances, and QPR seemed happy enough to play out a 0-0 draw, it wasn’t dissimilar from the game at Turf Moor in April that the Clarets went on to win 1-0 through Andy Gray.

Alan Mahon just wasn’t getting the ball enough, and judging by the friendlies, it looks as though most of our play will go through him, so for Mahon to be so quiet in the first half was a bit of a worry. The first half came and went with little in the way of chances for both sides and there was an air of concern as to how we were struggling to break down a stubborn, but unambitious QPR side.

We needn’t have worried though as the Clarets came out strongly in the opening minutes of the second half. Thirteen minutes in and the deadlock had finally been broken. Alan Mahon tried to play in Andy Gray, but the ball was just too long for him. Gray though hassled the ‘keeper and defender who both made a mess of it, and the ball broke to Steve Jones who smashed the ball home.

The relief, and the roof were lifted as UMBABA was given a welcome airing, resulting in a healthy number of Clarets reliving the great terrace song by bouncing up and down between their seats, good stuff!

Cotterill then replaced Lafferty and James O’Connor with Micah Hyde and Wade Elliott, which allowed Jones a more advanced role, and one which duly paid off. QPR on the other hand decided to take off arguably their best player as Ray Jones replaced the industrious Steve Lomas.

QPR were never going to score, so it came as no surprise when the Clarets got their second, and what a goal it was. Steve Jones received the ball from Frank Sinclair, cut inside, and smacked a unstoppable shot into the top corner. Look out for it on the highlights programmes, it was a belter.

The Clarets grew in confidence after the second, and Alan Mahon was given a chance to unleash one of his free kicks on 78 minutes. There is certainly an air of expectation whenever Mahon gets a free kick in a good position, and that was the case with this one. It was a long way out, but that doesn’t seem to bother him and he curled a beauty which flew just wide. A good effort from Mahon, and it didn’t look like Paul Jones would get to it.

Late on and the ball bounced invitingly for Micah Hyde to volley an effort towards the top corner, but Paul Jones was equal to this one, turning the ball away for a corner with a good save.

And that was it, the full time whistle went and a great cheer went up from the stands, thoroughly deserved and it sees us sitting proudly on top of the table. Alright, so it’s only on alphabetical order, but so what, let’s milk it while we can.

"We are top of the league, say we are top of the league."

Well done Jonah on a fantastic debut.

Up the Clarets.