They are the headlines on an afternoon when Cardiff again showed their undoubted character but this was a low quality match with even fewer thrills until City’s superb fightback in the closing stages.
After Sky tv forced kick-off times of Cardiff’s last two Saturday fixtures to be switched to 12:30pm and 5:35pm, this time Lancashire police intervene and rule a 1pm kick-off for safety reasons. Why do we have to put up with this crap whenever we go North?
How does starting early prevent problems, if anyone wants to cause it - especially when most English pubs were open from breakfast time anyway due to the Rugby World Cup? It was all nonsense but, still, up at 5:30am, at The Lansdowne not long after 6:30am and away by 7am for the 225 mile trip to the North West. To their immense credit, over 1,000 City fans did likewise.
The roads weren’t too busy but we missed, by no more than a minute or two, a nasty 9 vehicle pile up on the M6 and just sneaked around it on the hard shoulder. Any later and I’m sure we would have been significantly delayed, the motorway would have closed once police arrived. A lesser drama came at Sandbach services as a Tredegar RAMS coach got into difficulties so we carried their fans with us too.
Met the police off the M65 just after Blackburn. The escort was bigger than that given to The Queen as they lead us to the ground. For those unfamiliar, Burnley is an old industrial rural town struggling to adapt to modern times at the foot of the Pennines. There is literally nothing around a few miles in any direction … except hills, dales, countryside and sheep. The hypocrisy of Burnley (on one of they rare occasions they made a noise) chanting sheep shaggers was lost on them and a waste of time anyway as City sang it back 10 times as loud.
It has a stereotype image, which I have experienced on previous visits, that its relative isolation makes it a place where visitors and outsiders aren’t particularly welcome. It has racial tensions too with ongoing disputes and political arguments including a near handful of BNP councilors. Picturesque and olde worlde in some parts, ugly in other areas, you get the impression that if Texas Chainsaw Massacre – the tale of grotesque in-bred monstrosities - was ever made in England, then Burnley would be a leading candidate. Its main current horror though is knowing that its celebrity fan is recently resigned Labour spin doctor, Alistair Campbell.
Burnley Football Club is the focus of the town because there’s not much else there to focus on. They’ve always punched well above their weight, including being the best team in the country 40 years ago, and their presence in Division One now is remarkable in many ways considering their population is just 90,000 and Premier sides Blackburn and Bolton, Manchester United, Manchester City all less than 30 miles away.
City fans staying in Blackpool for the weekend or arriving by car said the city centre was a ghost town following near-hysterical police warnings of anticipated trouble. Their over-the-top stance made clear as we arrived at the ground to be confronted by hundreds of officers, vehicles and assorted armoury. Not even Baghdad is that well patrolled. Just when will the police acknowledge that, in general, Cardiff have got their act together and not caused any real unprovoked problems at any away fixture for a considerable time? The police’s over-the-top attitude to visiting Cardiff City fans is every bit as bad as the media portrayal of us.
Turf Moor itself (above) isn’t a bad stadium. (Loads more pictures from the day, click here) City fans had to enter the ground immediately, not that many could get into pubs, with bouncers and police alike on every door, into an old wooden-seated Cricket Field stand behind a goal. The dressing rooms were underneath us, the players tunnel to the left of goal in front of us. Food was reasonable, standard and price, in football terms but the beer was awful. £2.10 for a can of beer (Thwaites’) but those who choose to drink lager were appalled by a tasteless, yellow filth with a pseudo-Germanesque name at £2.30 a time.
Burnley fans had two excellent looking modern stands where most fans were seen – The James Hargreaves two tier with executive boxes Stand along one side and Jimmy McIlroy stand behind the opposite goal – plus the old-fashioned Bob Lord stand to our right. Bizarrely, the crowd was announced as 11,762 but the official attendance in the ground was announced as 10,886. Presumably the difference was season ticket holders and other tickets purchased who never turned up – their excellent match programme records a near 1,000 discrepancy every game. I guess this must happen at Ninian Park too, it would be interesting to know. City’s support was the third biggest at Turf Moor so far bettered only by Wigan and Bradford’s but they are both based nearby, unlike us.
The Cash Crippled Clarets started the day 4 points and 5 places below City with distinctly average home form – 3 wins, a draw and 3 defeats before today – and overall inconsistent form including a 6-1 hammering at Ipswich followed by 3 successive league draws including an excellent 2-2 at West Ham which they led until late and a midweek Carling Cup exit at Wolves where they played very well.
They are one of only three teams (Palace and Rotherham being the others) with smaller squads than City. Injury problems have meant they have often been unable to name five substitutes this term but they had 16 today although they were believed to be the only players available to manager Stan Ternant.
Goalkeeper was Brian Jensen, a big imposing Danish stopper. The back four were Dean West, a Ghanaian Camara, skipper Graham Branch and French defender Gnohere. Their midfield were useful with Glen Little, a one time City target just returned form a recent Premiership loan spell with Bolton, Richard Chapelow (a teenager but already totally bald – at least Mike Morris had his for longer!), Robbie Blake and Tony Grant. Strikers were Del Facey (on loan from Bolton) and Ian Moore.
A small confession at this point, Ian Moore is the son of Rotherham manager and ex-City striker Ronnie Moore. It felt strange watching someone trying to score against City who I, as a teenager, once babysat for and pushed around in his pram when his dad lived in Rhoose – I felt really bleeding old today!!
City have had more than their fair share of selection problems this season and today was no different. Andy Campbell and Willie Boland were available again after suspensions but the hard working but out of sorts Richard Langley had to sit it out with a one game ban. More than that however, we were shocked (and very apprehensive) to see Gary Croft missing and Spencer Prior on the pitch. We didn’t know why at the time but Crofty’s apparently went into labour early, the player allowed to return home.
City’s back four ahead of Neil Alexander therefore lined up Vidmar-Prior-Gabbidon-Barker. Vidmar and Gabbidon had been imperious as centre-halves so it was tough to see that broken up but it was an even bigger surprise to see Prior selected ahead of James Collins who has never let us down and who had seemed to pass him in the pecking order. Midfield yet showed Lennie play it safe with Robinson-Bonner-Kavanagh-Boland. The surprise being Boland wide left instead of the natural flair of Julian Gray. It was a statement City wanted to be tight and solid rather than spectacular. Gordon continued upfront with Earnie, Gordon knowing he had to prove himself with other forwards about to return to the fold and Lennie saying how it was an important week for him.
Burnley whipped up the atmosphere on their tannoy and with a twenty strong line of cheerleading girls on a sunny but sunny afternoon. City fans responded by getting into full voice but what happened to Burnley? I always thought they were raucous but they had the mute control on. City regularly goaded them asking, “shall we sing a sing for you?”, shouting “shhhhh” to make the whole City end quiet and we heard absolutely nothing and when their “ten boys” (although I think it was closer to 6) did sing, they earned mock applause and laughter from us. Pitiful stuff.
On the pitch, it has become a worrying habit, Lennie and the players need to sort it out, but City yet again started slowly and poorly. Every game played in the past few weeks have seen City make a similar opening, shades of how it often was last season.
Burnley attacked from the start and stretched us. Little (who was big) looked dangerous and caused problems, Facey and Moore weren’t the greatest threat but caused problems, Facey should have done much better getting the ball unmarked in City’s area but never getting a shot away and Burnley’s midfield took control with our midfield dropping deep.
Chapelow was very effective, Robbie Blake, a £1 Million signing was buzzing and a right handful. Gabbidon and Prior were being over-worked but both won vital touches and headers but there were narrow escapes as one ball shot across the face of goal, Blake put a free-kick narrowly over, another narrowly wide and a third onto the head of Branch unmarked in front of goal who nodded across it and inches over with City’s makeshift defence in a mess.
Cardiff somehow rode the storm and tried making an impression with John Robinson leading the charge to try and finally bring Earnie and Gordon into the game. On one such occasion, he nearly opened the scoring as Earnie cut across the area and found him with a telegraphed pass that saw Robbo’s shot charged down. City started to get more involved (I would have said we were quietening Burnley’s support but that wasn’t possible) and Gavin Gordon missed a golden opportunity as he perfectly timed a run to meet a speculative long ball that caught out the entire Burnley back-line. Jensen charged out but was too late leaving Gordon the task of heading on target, admittedly, under pressure, from the edge of the area but although he beat Jensen, he went a little wide and a little high.
Glen Little earned the wrath of City players and fans as he clearly launched into a dive deep in City’s area as Kav made a good challenge. The excellent referee, Howard Webb (official in our play-off final win), let it go and did not even speak to the player which made it more annoying. Just before half-time saw the closest moment to a goal as Earnie won a free-kick 25 yards out in prime position for Kav. His set piece kick curled around the outside of the wall, Jensen’s diving fingertips agonisingly pushed it onto the post and behind.
After 1 minutes’ added time (sponsored by a local carpet shop – yes, Burnley have sponsored injury time!), City were applauded off for coming back into what was an even and tight match but with fans generally recognising that they were not playing too well and that the balance of the team due to those changes was not quite right. Back to that cheapo beer and lager and un-cheapo prices … it was either that or watching more cheerleading, no competition for me, one crap beer please!
Half-Time: BURNLEY 0 CITY 0
Depressingly, the second period, with City now attacking towards us, started the same way as the first half. Burnley now attacking the flanks won 4 corners in as many minutes but City’s resolute defending held firm until the 52nd minute as Glen Little got the better of Chris Barker, got to the byline and his low ball across the box was sweetly tucked wide of Alexander and inside his far post by CHAPLOW. The inaudible support woke up to suddenly become both vocal and visible and like Reading and Sheffield United, they pumped their arms to The Piranhas’ Tom Hark tune. An excellent finish for the teenager’s second career goal and sealed the prospect’s home fans choice as man of the match.
It looked ominous for City who has no great pattern or shape to their game and were struggling to get forward or offer any reasonable service to Earnie and Gordon. Gordon however was not helping himself by not showing great movement or willingness to work hard, something picked on by disgruntled City fans.
Frustrations increased as City had let offs with Moore and Little missing the target or being blocked whilst Vidmar, starting to power forward, blazed a ball well over the bar then Kav had a free-kick blocked by the wall but the biggest anguish came when Danny Gabbidon brought the ball out of defence and played a perfect slide rule through ball that Earnie met, rounded the keeper and netted. Sadly, the linesman’s flagged offside before he finished it but it looked like a bad decision, Earnie let him know it too.
Fans had been chanting for Julian Gray to appear as there was so little flair and creativity on show. Lennie finally relented but couldn’t get him on as City suddenly hit an extra gear. Within 30 seconds, Vidmar met a Boland cross and his diagonal shot was pushed behind by Jensen who then breathed a sigh of relief as John Robinson was set up but his low drive was just deflected behind and that corner played to the edge of the box saw Willie Boland smack a fearsome drive that Jensen did well to beat away.
The game was finally opening up as City chased it with gaps at both ends as it swung back and fore. Gray finally got on with 18 minutes left, replacing Boland who tried hard but never looked effective in the role asked of him. With 14 minutes remaining, City grabbed an equaliser that owed everything to a defensive howler and Earnie’s brilliance.
There was no hint of danger as Branch received the ball under little pressure just outside his area but it seemed as if the trod on, the lost control of, the ball. Kav swooped and noticed Julian Gray unmarked racing in on the far post his pass was perfect but Earnie decided to intercept. It looked a wrong choice but how wrong we were as EARNIE struggled to bring the ball down but then switched it right to left and unleashed an awesome rising drive that hit the roof of the net with Jensen still diving across goal. Supreme finishing by a class act, simple as that.
Earnie somersaulted and celebrated right in front of the manic City fans, how we loved it. It was his 17th goal in 18 starts this season, his 96th City goal (in 133 starts) and the 101st of his career including Wales and a loan at Morton. Including his Welsh goal against Serbia, it was his 18th of the season, only Thierry Henry can match that and they’re 5 ahead of anyone else in the country. Not bad really, is it?
From that moment onwards, there was only one team going to win the game and they played in blue. City were going for it, Burnley responded by bringing on Luke Chadwick (a player who turned down a City loan at the last moment last season and we let him know how we felt about it) but he never got in the game. City had Gordon fire a low shot just wide, Gabbidon go close, Bonner head over and Vidmar nod over too from a corner.
The last say went to Burnley as Chaplow was taken down near the edge of the box by Kav who was booked. Facey’s shot had real power on it but Alexander got behind the ball well and that was it. A stirring finish to a game that never hit the heights, neither team could really claim they deserved to win or lose so a fair result and a point City would be happy with considering the circumstances. All the players, Lennie, his backroom team and Sam were all warmly applauded and cheered down the tunnel right by us.
All in all, it had been a pleasant afternoon with no sign of any trouble whatsoever. Just as I was thinking Burnley wasn’t so bad after all, we passed a house 250 yards from the ground were a row of a dozen or so 6 to 12 year old kids stood and hailed us with Nazi salutes, one with a scarf wrapped around his face, another with a Hannibal Lecter face-mask. I knew it was too good to be true. A funny sight though.
The police hadn’t finished with us yet and took us on a less than delightful 45 minute mystery trip out of Burnley, up and down hills, along narrow roads and through a couple of hamlets before we reached a junction no more than a mile from the ground. What was the point of that?
The surreal feel hadn’t ended as our coach stopped at a regular pub near the M50 on the way home which became occupied by a motorbikers convention although none of its middle-aged leather jacket wearing congregation – one or two with appalling mullets and pony-tails –arrived by motorbike. No wonder we always let out a cheer when we see that “Welcome to Wales” sign on return journeys.
Report from FootyMad
Robert Earnshaw's 12th league goal of the season rescued a point for Cardiff after Burnley had looked likely to end a run of four games without a win.
Earnshaw struck 15 minutes from time with a spectacular finish after a dreadful mistake by Burnley skipper Graham BranchBranch made a hash of an attempted clearance to concede possession to Graham Kavanagh who fed the ball forward for Earnshaw to turn quickly before smashing in a left-foot shot high into the top corner from 16 yards.
It was an equaliser out of the blue as Burnley had been full value for the 51st minute lead given to them by teenage midfielder Richard Chaplow.
Chaplow drifted in at the near post to guide a cross from Glen Little past Neil Alexander.
Cardiff had threatened only occasionally until that point although Burnley keeper Brian Jensen was relieved to push a free kick from Kavanagh against a post.
Cardiff's equaliser gave the visitors renewed impetus and twice late on they might have won it.
Gavin Gordon dragged a shot wide after being set up by Earnshaw while the impressive Tony Vidmar headed over from a good position two minutes from time.
The Bluebirds have now gone five league games without defeat.
External reports
BBC
Burnley Official Website
Clarets Mad
Wales on Sunday
Western Mail