Tag Archives: Burnley

Burnley, Your Summer Starts Now (Thank You!)

Neil Warnock, , , , , , ,

Today is one of those days where I feel daft for worrying. Prior to kick-off at Selhurst Park and knowing that a win would assure us of a play-off place I somehow felt that we typically wouldn’t make it that easy on ourselves. But what do I know? I’ve only followed this team for eighteen years now.

So unusally for us we just about secured our win within the first ten minutes, as Clarke Carlisle was sent off in the sixth minute for a professional foul on Scott Sinclair and Ben Watson dispatched the resulting penalty. Two minutes later Victor Moses made it 2-0 and the game was effectively up.

Tom Soares made it 3-0 before half-time before Sinclair and Clinton Morrison brought the final score to 5-0.

So we’re in the play-offs having finished fifth. How big an achievement is it for Warnock? Let’s let him analyse that himself. “I can’t think of a better achievement in my career. To go from second bottom in November into the play-offs, never mind winning them, is a great effort from all the lads.”

Winning the play-offs would be even better. For that our first obstacle is Bristol City, who come to Selhurst Park next Saturday.

Crystal Palace 5-0 Burnley [BBC Sport]

2007/08 Fixture List released

Fixtures, , , , , ,

The Championship fixtures for the 2007/08 season were released today. Palace highlights include:

First game: @ Southampton, Saturday 11th August.
First home game: Leicester City, Saturday 18th August.
Oops, they’re playing us again (again!): Charlton, Saturday 1st September.
Dowie’s return: Coventry City, Tuesday 18th September.
Final day: Burnley, Sunday 4th May (kick-off 3pm).

All Saturday fixtures are currently set for 3pm kick-offs, midweek games are currently shown as 7.45pm kick-offs.

Burnley on the last day is usually a good omen. Let’s hope that run continues, however unlikely it may currently seem.

Zzzzzzzzz fest at Turf Moor

First Hand View, , ,

Well I’m glad I made that trip. Pretty much a stinker of a game, which ended as a 1-1 draw. Probably a fair result at the end of the day.

After a slow start we took the lead after fifteen minutes, with Clinton Morrison chasing down Gabor Kiraly’s clearance and heading over the out-of-position Coyne. With Coyne continuing to struggle (palming the ball to Scowcroft, punching the ball arguably outside his area and slicing a clearance) we really could have been out of sight before Ade Akinbiyi’s inevitable goal against us, and while Steve Cotterill can justifiably say that Burnley “did enough to win the game” he should remember how shaky his defence looked early on (typically we gave Coyne little to do in the second half).

To be honest I was expecting the worst against a team without a win in their last fifteen games. At the start of the second half we almost invited them to pile lots of pressure on us, and we only really started to come into the game again with the introduction of Ben Watson as a substitute.

In a perplexing manner, Peter Taylor said following the game that “Burnley away is a difficult game and I’m pleased with an away point.” I agree. I hate playing away at a team which hasn’t won once in their last fifteen games, and played the first thirty minutes like they were already on their summer holidays. If Burnley away is a difficult game what does that make West Brom away – Mission Impossible?

Clinton Morrison’s goal was his 94th for the club, and his third in the last two games. I’d say this begins the 100 goal countdown in earnest!

Lots of plaudits for Burnley’s catering as well. Mmm, Meat and Potato pies, mmm…

Burnley 1-1 Crystal Palace [BBC Sport]