Burnley Dumped Out Of Masters

This was the Clarets first ever attempt in this competition, and it proved to be a very tough inauguration indeed. Burnley fielded a squad of ex players which included Chris Pearce, Ian Cox, Andy Farrell, Roger Eli, Ashley Hoskin, Gary Parkinson, Liam Robinson, Andy Cooke, and John Francis. They were drawn in group A alongside local rivals Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.

Their first game of two and the opening game of the tournament was against Rovers, It proved to be a very feisty affair indeed with both fans and players alike hoping to win the bragging rights. The game kicked off with a crescendo of noise from the Clarets fans, and it was Liam Robinson who fired the Clarets into a 1 nil lead with the clock showing 5 mins 9 seconds. Tackles were flying in from both sets of players and with just 51 seconds left of the first half Pederson equalised for Rovers. Burnley were showing up quite well to say this was their first attempt at 6 a side, but I think it was more to do with us playing Rovers that inspired them.

With 6 mins 33 seconds on the clock in the second half Richard Brown hacked down Ashley Hoskin and was sin binned for 2 minutes for the offence. Just under 2 minutes later it was Hoskin himself who hit a sweet left foot drive into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance. Francis should have made it 3-1 but shot wide from a very easy chance. With just a minute of the game left Mark Atkins tapped home from a free kick just outside the 'D' to make it 2-2. The final whistle blew and both teams knew they had been in a tough derby game.

Rovers went on to lose in their next game to Bolton by 4 goals to 1 leaving them on 1 point with no chance of progressing further.

Burnley themselves were now up against Bolton and had to win to progress, unfortunately Wanderers were far more experienced and toyed with the Clarets winning the game in a canter by 5 goals to 1. Green, Darby and Johnstone scoring in the first half, Lee put them 4 nil up in the second, Parkinson brought it back to 4-1 but Green with his second and Bolton's 5th made it look far too easy. The Clarets looked slow, some of them greatly overweight and lethargic and also at times clueless, this was a tough first competition without a doubt.

Bolton eventually met Oldham in the final and ran out the deserved winners by 2 goals to 1. They now represent the North West in the Finals at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on the 6th of September