Catman

In a week where two-footed tackles have been a hot topic, midfielder John Spicer lost his head in first-half injury-time when he lunged at Town's Tommy Miller.

Referee Phil Dowd had little option but to reach straight for his top pocket, and Spicer became the third Burnley player in the last two games to see red.

That ensured new Clarets boss Owen Coyle will have a festive headache as he ponders games against Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City and Blackpool in quick succession while he also lost Robbie Blake to injury.

The visitors defended well after Spicer's dismissal to hold out for a point which extends their unbeaten away record to seven games, but they had to ride their luck when Miller smashed a long-range piledriver against the crossbar in the first half.

Kiraly was also called into action time and time again to preserve the deadlock and he produced a string of fine saves to keep the Tractor Boys out.

With Ipswich unbeaten at home and Burnley so good on their travels, this always looked to be one for the neutrals and within two minutes Alan Lee latched on to Danny Haynes' deep cross only to see Kiraly pull off a superb reaction save.

The return of visiting captain Steven Caldwell after 10 games out with a torn tendon added an extra dimension and he was forced into action soon after to block Pablo Counago's right-footed drive.

In between times Miller came within a whisker of opening the scoring with a thunderous 30-yard drive against the crossbar.

But Burnley were holding their own and Kyle Lafferty could have done better after 11 minutes with a header which drifted across the six-yard box.

Town's rhythm was disrupted when unlucky Spaniard Luis Castro Sito was forced off with an injury having only just regained his first-team place following 11 months in the wilderness.

Haynes then blazed wastefully over the top before Counago headed at goal, only to see Kiraly in the right place again to keep it out.

Spicer's moment of madness in first-half injury time changed the pattern of the game as he launched himself feet first into a challenge with Miller.

Following the sendings off of Joey Gudjonsson and Chris McCann against Preston last week another suspension was the last thing Coyle needed. But before he addressed that headache there was the small matter of the entire second half to negotiate with 10 men.

Ipswich sensed their chance to press home the numerical advantage and Owen Garvan tested Kiraly again six minutes into the second half before Miller - back in the starting line-up after a virus -

unleashed another long-range drive.

The Clarets' tactics were now abundantly clear. Having switched to a 4-4-1 they packed men behind the ball in an effort to run down the clock.

It was crude but effective, although their cause was not helped when Blake was forced off injured on the hour.

It took some more heroics from Kiraly to keep them level after 64 minutes. He got his body behind Jon Walters' 20-yarder before three minutes later the shot-stopper caught Lee's header.

Counago then fired close twice in quick succession with time running out while David Wright headed wastefully over the crossbar late on.

 

Catman

Burnley v Sheff Wed
Owls striker Deon Burton notched his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 30th minute but Ade Akinbiyi fired home a minute later to level.

The Clarets enjoyed a spell of sustained second-half pressure but they have now won only once at home since beating West Bromwich on the opening day of the season.

Their only other success on home soil was against lowly Norwich on October 23.

And despite recent excellent away record, manager Owen Coyle has failed to conjure a victory at Turf Moor since taking the helm last month.

After painful defeats to relegation-threatened QPR and Preston in their last two home games, Burnley were desperate to record an overdue victory in front of their own fans.

But they met their match in a Wednesday side who arrived in Lancashire having taken just one point from their previous four games.

Burnley, who claimed a comfortable 2-0 win at Hillsborough back in September, came under the cosh in the fifth minute when the Owls fashioned the first clear goalscoring opportunity.

Former Newcastle and Everton midfielder Steve Watson collected possession 30 yards from goal and hit a piledriver which warmed Gabor Kiraly's hands.

Owls striker Deon Burton then dragged a shot wide from distance as the visitors began to build up a head of steam.

But in the 12th minute Burnley should have led when James O'Connor delivered an inswinging corner from the left flank which defender Steven Caldwell rose to greet with his head.

It was a weak effort from Caldwell and the ball sailed harmlessly wide of Lee Grant's goal.

Influential Owls midfielder Glenn Whelan, who has attracted admiring glances from Premier League clubs, then served notice of his quality with a thunderous shot from 35 yards which failed to test Kiraly.

The pendulum swung back towards Burnley in the 20th minute when Wade Elliott crossed from the right flank for Akinbiyi to head straight at Grant in the visitors' goal.

However, the hosts were stunned on the half-hour mark when Caldwell's clumsy foul on Wednesday striker Marcus Tudgay was punished as referee Scott Mathieson pointed straight to the penalty spot.

Burton coolly dispatched the ball from 12 yards but the lead proved short-lived as Burnley found an almost immediate riposte.

Robbie Blake headed goalwards from six yards and Grant's fine parried save saw the ball rebound to Akinbiyi, who swept home for his fifth of the season.

Two minutes after the restart, Burnley striker Kyle Lafferty fired just wide from 25 yards before Caldwell nodded over from another Elliott cross.

Whelan then drew a comfortable save from Kiraly before Blake did likewise with Grant in Wednesday's goal.

Whelan had a final opportunity to make the breakthrough in the 90th minute but his 30-yard strike sailed inches over the crossbar.

 

Catman

Burnley V Bristol
Vasko scored the only goal of the game just after the hour at Turf Moor to leave the hosts to rue their profligacy once more on home soil.

Former Bristol City striker Ade Akinbiyi was denied twice by the woodwork and goalkeeper Adriano Basso produced a string of fine saves to further frustrate Coyle's Clarets.

Victory lifts the Robins back into third spot while Burnley's play-off push continues to falter.

Akinbiyi continued to deputise for the injured Andy Gray in the Burnley attack while Darren Byfield earned a recall to the Robins' starting line-up.

The visitors started with plenty of early attacking impetus and could have been ahead inside 90 seconds as Gabor Kiraly was forced to make a smart save to deny David Noble from 12 yards.

Byfield blazed wide from six yards moments later after latching on to Jamie McAllister's centre and then had a close-range header kept out by Kiraly.

The flurry of early City chances eventually kick-started the hosts as Kyle Lafferty and Jon Harley both tested stopper Basso from distance.

Akinbiyi and Lafferty also fired wide in a lively opening.

Noble shot straight at Hungary international Kiraly from 20 yards on the half-hour mark.

Burnley, now winless in the last five games, were dealt a blow 12 minutes before the interval as Clarke Carlisle hobbled off nursing an injury and was replaced by the versatile Steve Jones.

Akinbiyi hit the post with a 12-yard drive two minutes before half-time and the much-travelled striker saw another effort from similar range drift inches wide straight after the restart.

On the hour, Basso produced a superb stop to keep out Harley's rasping 25-yard drive and moments later Akinbiyi was left to rue another squandered chance as he powered wide with the goal at his mercy from close range.

David Unsworth curled a 25-yard free-kick well wide and the home side were left to rue their wastefulness in attack after 67 minutes as Bristol City broke the deadlock.

Lafferty bundled over former Claret Bradley Orr and Michael McIndoe's setpiece eluded everyone to allow Vasko to ghost in unmarked and score with ease from close range.

It was the 23-year-old's first goal in English football but Burnley reacted in a positive manner and it was no surprise to see Akinbiyi again in the thick of the action.

This time it was the woodwork again which thwarted Akinbiyi as his 12-yard drive rebounded back off the upright and minutes later Basso was on hand to save James O'Connor's soaring header.

Robbie Blake and Lafferty had goalbound efforts scrambled away to safety by Orr and Jamie McCombe respectively in a frantic finale while Coyle sent on youngster Jay Rodriguez in the hope of mustering a late leveller.

But Gary Johnson's City side held on to secure a win which sees them leapfrog over Stoke in the Championship table.

 

Catman

Burnley V Blackpool
Kaspars Gorkss, Ben Burgess and Claus Jorgensen scored at Bloomfield Road to earn the Seasiders all three points, taking them up to 14th in the Championship.

Latvian defender Gorkss' firm header after 23 minutes - his second goal in two home games - earned the Seasiders a half-time lead before Burgess and Jorgensen scored in quick succession.

Burgess converted Jorgensen's cross with a well-placed header after 59 minutes before the midfielder netted a sublime half-volley from outside the box four minutes later.

The result ended Burnley's formidable record away from Turf Moor since Owen Coyle was installed as boss in late November.

They had won three and drawn one of the previous four games on the road but looked devoid of options in attack and struggled in defence ahead of the FA Cup third-round tie with Arsenal.

Ben Burgess and Chris McCann traded early chances before Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Scott Vernon each failed to trouble Gabor Kiraly with tame shots on the turn.

Shaun Barker then rose to meet the game's first corner after 16 minutes but could not find the target with a free header. It was a warning to Burnley of things to come.

The visitors' top scorer Andy Gray, returning from injury, was at the centre of all their good work, making a continual nuisance of himself.

The striker won a free-kick on the right and Robbie Blake floated in a cross which was met by Stephen Caldwell, but the defender, who made six league appearances while on loan at Bloomfield Road from Newcastle in 2001, could only head over.

Gorkss then met Wes Hoolahan's corner from the left after 23 minutes with a firm header which eluded Kiraly and bounced in off the right-hand upright to give the Seasiders the lead.

Coyle suffered a further blow when David Unsworth limped off after 32 minutes.

And it almost got worse for the Clarets when Jorgensen's shot from 25 yards took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot Kiraly, but he recovered to make a smart save to his left.

Paul Rachubka saved well from Blake's 20-yard free-kick as Burnley struggled to test the Seasiders' stopper.

A tepid opening 14 minutes to the second half was brought to a close when Hoolahan found Jorgensen on the overlap on the left and Burgess leapt high at the back post to head back across goal and into the net.

And within five minutes Burnley's deficiencies in defence were once again exposed when the ball was half cleared and fell to Jorgensen, whose sweetly struck half-volley sailed past Kiraly.

Hoolahan later broke forward and saw his left-foot shot across goal go a yard wide before three Blackpool substitutes had opportunities.

David Fox's swerving left-foot volley was saved, Andy Morrell had a strike ruled out for offside and Bartosz Slusarski headed over as Blackpool searched for a fourth.

 

Catman

FA Cup 3rd round Burnley V Arsenal
Arsene Wenger admitted he was a relieved man after Arsenal survived a testing FA Cup third-round contest at Burnley on Sunday.
The Premier League leaders eventually triumphed 2-0 through goals from Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner but Burnley, mid-table in the Championship, nearly took the lead when Kyle Lafferty hit the crossbar.

Lafferty was later sent off by referee Alan Wiley for a studs-up challenge on Gilberto, after which Bendtner's goal ended the contest.

Wenger said: "Burnley played very well. They missed the first big chance and I believe that header could have had a big weight on the game.

"With the performance they put in I think it would have been a very difficult game for us if they had gone 1-0 up.

"We then took our chance, but Eduardo missed another good chance to score a second - the surprise of the day is that he missed it - you quickly get used to him scoring a goal when you want him to but he scored one and got an assist for the second so overall I believe the two strikers did well.

"Credit to Burnley, they played very well and in a fair way and with the way they play I am surprised they are in their position in the Championship - perhaps it's better to be in the Premier League!"

The Arsenal manager picked Jens Lehmann in goal and said he hopes the German keeper, who has been linked with a return to Borussia Dortmund, will decide to stay with the Gunners.

He added: "Jens had a faultless performance. I wish that he stays but we will learn whether or not he wants to in the days to come.

"He showed what a great professional he is. It is sad if he wants to go but the decision is in his court."

Wenger offered no opinion on the sending off. "You will laugh, but I did not see it and have not seen a replay," he said.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle felt the dismissal was harsh, and that Wenger had admitted to him that Arsenal had been quite lucky.

Coyle said: "We looked a threat all game and had a few opportunities to score and the sending off was the turning point in the game.

"My initial thoughts were it was only a yellow card, if that. Kyle Lafferty is a 20-year-old kid with a great future ahead of him in the game and there's not a bad bone in his body.

"He's miscontrolled the ball, he's gone to recover it and it was with one foot, it certainly wasn't two-footed.

"There were some positives for us, and despite the quality that Arsenal have their players will know they have been in a game."

Coyle said Wenger had taken the trouble to praise Burnley's style of play.

He added: "He came up at the end of the game and said he felt they got a little bit lucky and that we passed and moved very well, which was a big compliment.

"I think that's the measure of the man, to have someone of that ilk complimenting you on the way your team played is fantastic and we have to take that and try to develop it."

 

Catman

Burnley V Plymouth
Burnley finally ended their home hoodoo as substitute Robbie Blake's 65th-minute strike gave them a 1-0 victory over Plymouth.

Blake broke the deadlock with a sweetly-struck volley within 10 minutes of coming on to give the Clarets a welcome three points.

Burnley had failed to win in their last nine games at Turf Moor, a run stretching back to their 2-1 win over Norwich in October.

It was also their first win in six, home and away, and boosts their hopes of pushing back towards the play-off places.

Argyle were without 11-goal top scorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake following his midweek move to Wolves and it showed as the play-off hopefuls seldom threatened after Brian Jensen saved Lilian Nalis' second-minute header.

Burnley winger Wade Elliott then volleyed over from the edge of the box as the hosts took control and their patient play almost paid off in the 17th minute.

Central midfielder Jon Harley picked out Elliott on the right, but his first-time centre flashed across the face of goal beyond striker Andy Gray.

Joey Gudjonsson fired narrowly wide from 25 yards after some sharp passing on the Burnley left and the Icelandic midfielder was unable to direct Elliott's right-wing cross goalwards on the half-hour mark.

Gudjonsson then found Elliott on the right, but Steve Jones, handed his first league start of the season following Kyle Lafferty's red card against Arsenal last week, could only head his cross wide.

Jones sent another header wide following Gudjonsson's surging run down the right, which typified a dismal first half.

The home crowd voiced their frustration at the break but then got right behind their team and were almost rewarded with the opening goal five minutes after the restart.

Right-back Graham Alexander played in Gray behind the Argyle defence, although Luke McCormick was out quickly to parry a weak shot from the former Sunderland striker.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle replaced Jones with Blake in a bid to revive his attack and moments later, Blake found space in the Plymouth box to fire beyond the far post.

But it was Blake who finally made the breakthrough for Burnley midway through the half, deftly turning the ball home from 12 yards from Elliott's pull-back.

Blake almost hit a superb second in the 72nd minute, with his 30-yard strike heading for the top corner until McCormick pulled off a fine save to turn the ball wide, and McCormick denied Alexander from the resulting corner.

Blake continued to cause Plymouth problems and his driven cross in the 83rd minute was just too long for strike partner Gray.

But Blake's sixth goal of the season proved to be enough as Argyle still failed to push men forward in the closing stages.

 

Catman

Burnley V Coventry
Ade Akinbiyi and Robbie Blake scored on their returns to action as Burnley win 2-1 to prolong Coventry's league misery at the Ricoh Arena. Captain Michael Doyle also scored on his return from suspension for Coventry, who had Kevin Kyle sent off early in the second half, but the Sky Blues are still without a league win in 2008.

Coventry are free to sign new players after the transfer embargo on the club was lifted by the Football League this week, and on this showing Iain Dowie's side are in desperate need of some fresh blood.

Akinbiyi, back in Burnley's starting XI following the sale of top scorer Andy Gray to Ipswich, opened the scoring after 10 minutes when he steered Wade Elliott's right-wing cross into the roof of the net from 12 yards out.

Midway through the first half, Doyle announced his return from a one-match ban by bringing the hosts level.

The Irishman poked the ball home from close range after Brian Jensen had produced a superb save to parry Michael Hughes' shot.

Blake, who was recalled by Owen Coyle at the expense of Steve Jones, justified his manager's decision by sealing all three points for Burnley in the 68th minute.

Coventry gave the ball away inside their own half and Joey Gudjonsson's pass found Blake, who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner from 12-yards out.

The hosts started brightly and only a fine save from Jensen prevented them from taking the lead inside the opening two minutes.

The Dane kept out a powerful volley from Michael Mifsud before Stanislav Varga blocked the follow up from Hughes. Elliott Ward headed over the crossbar from the resulting corner.

It was against the run of play when Akinbiyi struck, but Coventry responded well and Ward went close with another header in the 18th minute.

Doyle equalised soon after but the Sky Blues had Dimi Konstantopoulos to thank for preserving parity when the giant Greek blocked Elliott's close-range effort.

At the other end, Jensen thwarted Mifsud when it looked like the Malta international would take his tally for the season to 16 goals.

Kyle, who was booked for a foul on Jon Harley just before half-time, was sent off in the 56th-minute following a two-footed lunge on Graham Alexander.

Referee Eddie Ilderton deemed the offence only worthy of a second yellow card when it could so easily have been a straight red for the Scot.

Coventry were the better side despite their numerical disadvantage. Hughes went close before Jensen produced another fine save to thwart Mifsud before the hour mark.

But Dowie's side were masters of their own destruction after they surrendered possession and allowed Blake to score the winning goal.

 

Catman

Burnley V Scunthorpe
First-half goals from Robbie Blake and Ade Akinbiyi fired Burnley to within a point of the play-off places after a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe. The Clarets appear to be hitting form at exactly the right time as Owen Coyle's side eased to a third successive victory thanks to the blossoming partnership of Blake and Akinbiyi.

The duo were also both on target in last Saturday's 2-1 win at Coventry and have done enough to suggest the sale of leading scorer Andy Gray to Charlton for an initial £1.5million could prove to be an inspired piece of business.

Blake opened the scoring early on at Turf Moor to continue his recent goal glut and Akinbiyi headed a second just after the half-hour mark to sink struggling Scunthorpe.

Prior to Burnley's second, the Iron thought they had found a way back in the game when Grant McCann, making his first start for the club, beat goalkeeper Brian Jensen from long distance but watched on in disbelief as the ball rebounded to safety off the post.

Home boss Coyle, without the suspended Kyle Lafferty, opted to again deploy Blake and Akinbiyi in attack while defender Jack Hobbs slotted straight into the Scunthorpe side after joining on loan from Liverpool on Thursday.

The Iron arrived in Lancashire with one win in their last 17 matches in all competitions and it was no surprise to see them behind within nine minutes.

Shelton Martis should have cleared the ball on the edge of the penalty area when he had the chance and Blake was on hand to capitalise on some wayward defending, drilling low past goalkeeper Joe Murphy from 18 yards.

It was Blake's third goal in as many games and the evergreen striker went close to adding a second three minutes later but his 25-yard effort crashed just wide.

Martin Paterson fired over from 12 yards as Scunthorpe looked to get back in the game straight away and Jensen had to be alert to keep out McCann's 25-yard free-kick after 20 minutes.

Hobbs headed a McCann corner over before the latter struck the post with a rasping 35-yard shot.

The visitors were left to rue their profligacy and misfortune in front of goal as Burnley went straight up the other end and doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark.

Wade Elliott made inroads down the right flank and his cross was headed home with ease by Akinbiyi from close range.

The well-travelled striker has now scored seven goals this season and seems intent to fill the void left by the departed Gray.

After the break Paul Hayes tried his luck from distance but failed to trouble Jensen on the hour and with 20 minutes remaining Murphy tipped over Chris McCann's looping header.

Blake saw a 25-yard free-kick sail just wide in the latter stages as Burnley secured a deserved three points.

 

Catman

Burnley v West Brom
The Hawthorns contest was just three minutes old when James O'Connor fired home from six yards to put Owen Coyle's side into a surprise lead but the Baggies levelled via Bostjan Cesar's emphatic 26th-minute finish.

And Albion took full advantage of second-placed Bristol City's defeat at QPR after Roman Bednar headed home Paul Robinson's cross on the hour mark to clinch the three points.

Robert Koren could have made victory more comfortable but his penalty was saved by goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Albion may have lost just once at home in the league all season but they soon found themselves behind.

Robinson's foul on Wade Elliott out wide on the right was punished as Stanislav Varga flicked on Robbie Blake's free-kick and O'Connor pounced to score from close range.

The Baggies, the league's highest scorers, were quickly on the offensive with James Morrison twice threatening within a matter of seconds.

Clarets defender David Unsworth did superbly to block the first but only the crossbar prevented the former Middlesbrough midfielder equalising moments later from six yards.

Kevin Phillips twice could have scored but the veteran Albion striker first fired wide of the left post before Jensen comfortably caught his 12-yard strike after 15 minutes.

Morrison was in the thick of the action five minutes later when he was given room to shoot from 20 yards but fired over.

The pressure finally told in the 26th minute, however, as Cesar smashed home from close range.

It could easily have been 2-1 to Albion soon after but Zoltan Gera's right-footed volley flashed past the left post.

Burnley had a great opportunity to take the lead four minutes into the second half when Ade Akinbiyi headed Blake's cross over from close range.

The Clarets were made to pay for the miss in the 60th minute when Bednar rose at the back post to head Robinson's centre into the bottom-right corner.

Coyle reacted by bringing on Andy Cole for Akinbiyi, while Mowbray opted for the fresh legs of Craig Beattie at Phillips' expense.

Jensen had to be at his best to deny Cesar a second from 12 yards, while another excellent block from Unsworth denied Bednar a brace.

The Baggies had the chance to sew up victory in the 68th minute when Koren was fouled by Jon Harley inside the area.

Koren dusted himself down to take the penalty himself but was denied when Jensen guessed correctly, diving low to his left.

Jensen again came to the rescue 12 minutes from full-time when he parried a long-range strike from Gera and soon after Beattie headed wide from six yards.

But it was not to matter as Mowbray's side held on for a deserved win.