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As referee Clive Penton blew the final whistle of the game to confirm Milwall’s 1-0 victory in our final away game of last season, a nightmare season on the road for the Clarets was concluded. We collected just 15 points on the road last season, made up of three wins and six draws, and managed a measly 12 goals, three of which came in the great win at Luton.
Going into the fifth game on our travels this term, however, we were the only team unbeaten away in the Championship and with the team sitting seventh in the table and with the chance to go third, things were looking a whole lot rosier.
Our opponents Norwich were certainly not as encouraged by their start to the season, with the team sitting in the bottom half of the table and fans wanting manager Nigel Worthington kicked out of the club. Despite the poor start to the campaign overall, fans of the Canaries can be delighted by the early form of Rob Earnshaw, who would go onto collect his eight goal in ten appearances in the second half.
Prior to today’s game, the Norwich board felt it necessary to make a public announcement stating that Worthington would find himself out of a job if the team did not improve, and Burnley’s 4-1 win would seal his fate and give the Norwich fans their wish; his six year spell at Carrow Road was brought to an end hours after the final whistle.
It was a great performance from Burnley, and although the scoreline didn’t really reflect the game as a whole, we fully deserved all three points and were the better team overall. The first few minutes were open and both sides were getting forward regularly.
Rob Earnshaw had an early chance to trouble Brian Jensen but was halted in his tracks by a fantastic John McGreal tackle on the edge of the area and no sooner had McGreal got back to his feet than Michael Duff was slamming a Gifton Noel-Williams flick-on into the right hand post on the turn. Had the ball fallen to anyone but Duff and we could have had the lead within the opening five minutes.
Both teams were looking threatening going forward and it appeared as though it was only a matter of time before somebody broke the deadlock and Rob Earnshaw felt he could be the man to single-handedly break apart the Burnley defence and open the scoring - he got the first bit right, but his finish ended up hitting the side netting, leaving Huckerby screaming in the middle, who would have had an open net if Earnshaw had decided to pass instead of going alone.
Dion Dublin, making his full debut, was impressing up front for the home team and causing problems in the air for Duff and McGreal, and twice came close to bagging his first goal since returning to England following a stint over the border with Celtic.
The former Villa and Leicester man was working well at the other end too, helping out with some good defensive headers and conceding a corner when Steve Jones’ deflected shot looked like it could creep in. We were having plenty of corners within the opening half hour and when Micah Hyde shot straight at Norwich goalkeeper Paul Gallagher we had already won six.
Just after the half hour mark Burnley opened the scoring, James O’Connor latched onto Steve Jones’ low cross, which was cleverly dummied by Gifton, and hammered the ball into the bottom corner of the goal to send the travelling Clarets into the lead.
The goal kicked Norwich into action and they responded with two minutes of pressure where Brian Jensen and the Burnley defence had to be on top form to keep the lead intact. It was certainly a nervous spell, every time we got the ball out it came straight back although the final product was lacking for Norwich and when the ball finally went over the crossbar to give Brian Jensen a goal kick, there was a huge sigh of relief from Burnley fans watching either at the game or on Sky TV.
Burnley fans were pleased to see the added time go up as Norwich continued to pressurise in attack, however a minute before the half time whistle the lead was doubled by Andy Gray. Wade Elliot, who had earlier failed to connect with the ball following a smart free kick, sent a great cross into the area, and Gray made no mistake with his powerful header from ten yards out.
Steve Cotterill consoled Nigel Worthington at half time knowing that he could have helped put the final nail in his coffin with regards to his future as Norwich manager. Norwich made a bright start to the second half, Earnshaw came close to pulling a goal back when he sent a free kick sailing narrowly over the crossbar, followed by a close range header that ended up in the same place, which he should have done better with.
Soon after that miss Andy Gray did superbly to get round Gary Doherty and give himself space to run straight at the goalkeeper, Doherty however had other ideas, and brought the Burnley number ten down 25 yards from goal, and thus earning himself a red card. Gallagher saved the resulting Jon Harley free kick but four minutes later Andy Gray would make it 3-0.
Jones was again the player to gain the assist, playing a clever one-two with Gifton Noel-Williams, who was enjoying another fantastic game, before playing the ball into Gray who had the simple task of slotting the ball into the half open goal to put the game beyond doubt.
Alan Mahon came on for the final few minutes and instantly had the chance to make it four but took too long with the ball in front of goal and allowed the defender time to get back and block his shot. Gifton did well with his back to goal to turn and get his shot away, which was blocked and rolled out for a corner. Rob Earnshaw pulled a goal back with a great finish from outside the area, which flew into Brian Jensen’s bottom right hand corner
Alan Mahon though put the gloss on the win in the final minute of normal time as he hit a sweet shot into the top corner of Gallagher’s goal to ensure that Burnley scored four in an away win for the first time in seven years.
Jones set up two goals, Gray assisted in one and scored two himself and Gifton Noel-Williams led the line well and all three stood out in what was a great team performance away from home. We have now equalled last season’s away win count and are three-quarters of the way to equalling the goal count already.
With Steve Cotterill still being heavily linked with the West Brom job, even his biggest critics must admit that it would be a blow to lose him right now, but we must continue this great form that has sent us above Preston in the league and into third.
Up the Clarets.
kevrobinson |
