Match Details

Thomas

Reports

Another visit to a ground that has been more or less been completely re-built since my last trip in 1983, although unlike Molyneux, Palace look to have taken the piecemeal approach and the away fans were housed in what turned out to be an environment remarkably like our beloved Longside with seats. Certainly the atmosphere was similar with the over hanging roof providing a nostalgic pillar or two but more importantly fantastic acoustics which amplified the volume to deafening proportions.

Thus a boisterous crowd greeted the arrival of the players, and true to form Stan started with the same line up that drew with Gillingham and lost to Wolves. So, disappointingly, no Guvnor in the line up. However I am told that Stan indicated in his post match interviews that he is not fully fit yet.

The opposition had not started the season well, however in keeping with their high aspirations a couple of well known Premiership "stars" were on view, notably Razor Ruddock and Dean Austin. According to the programme Palace had also taken three Premiership reserves on loan, but had signed one of them permanently. No doubt as the Premiership becomes populated entirely with foreign players, this will become an increasing trend in order for the top clubs back up players to get match practice and some return on their heavy investment in youth policies. Thus we had two Arsenal "starlets" on view. The rest of the side was made up of the excellent Palace youth system products that thankfully produced Cox and Little.

ROUND ONE

After an early customary Crichton flap, the Clarets collection of more mundane journeymen foot soldiers looked to be containing the threat. Very little of any note was happening in either penalty area although the home side seemed to be playing the bulk of the football in the Clarets half of the pitch. My feeling is that the Clarets are tending to give the ball away a little too easily at the moment and need to cling on a bit more at times, rather than play some of the risky or percentage balls that they seem to opt for. I am sure that the instructions are to get it out wide and down the flanks a.s.a.p. as this seems to be the normal route.

After about 25 minutes without looking particularly dangerous or playing particularly well, the home side were beginning to build up pressure and this resulted in a charge through the middle of the B.F.C. defence with one of their forwards slotting home. Much to our relief and surprise the ref gave offside, presumably for one the scorers standing in an offside position near the goal, because sitting directly in-line with the incident the scorer looked on-side. No matter, the ref is always right, especially Jeff Winter.

The half meandered to its close with the Clarets best effort coming from a Cox break out, run forward, one two with Cooke, ending with a thundering left foot drive which forced the keeper into a fine leaping save. They had a couple of corners and got into the opposition box occasionally, but really only troubled the Eagles goalie on that one occasion. However the Clarets looked fairly comfortable throughout, as frankly Palace didn't look to have a lot to offer.

SECONDS AWAY

Round two started with Mullin replacing Davis and a switch to four four two. This change immediately opened the game up and rather than watching a game of chess, played by blokes in coloured shirts, we were now treated to the real thing, a game of football. After one particularly good spell of Burnley pressure the crowd (except for GDK ) started baying for the Guvnor. After only twelve minutes, NBC began to get his kit off and our wish was granted. For a long spell NBC's only contribution was an impression of a one cwt bag of coal heaved down a chute, after the Chinaman Fan got a bit too close to the Guvnor's behind, resulting in an appropriate yellow card for the hapless Oriental, but initially Payton saw relatively little of the ball.

In the meantime Crichton and his defence were beginning to think about filling in their overtime sheets as they looked distinctly busy with the Palace wide men getting down the Clarets flanks or cutting in. The closest shaves were another Thomas goolie, when he headed the ball short to Admirable, who pulled off a blinding close range stop, when a goal looked certain. Later he pulled off an astonishing point blanker when a Palace forward from only 8/10 yards out was unable to beat him on the line. At some point while all this was going on Stan brought on more fresh legs up front in the shape of Branchy for the tireless Cooke, who yet again worked hard for little positive result, he even crashed the ball against the post but fortunately for him he was incorrectly given offside and was spared the embarrassment of missing a sitter.

Presently the action shifted to the other end when the Guvnor cashed in on his earlier piece of work on the inscrutable Fan. With the Chinaman standing off Payton following his booking, the Guvnor effectuated a sublime piece of skill. In one precisely executed movement NBC took down a difficult high ball, swivelled and placed a golf putt ball into the path of Branch coming in from the right hand side of the pitch having timed his diagonal run to perfection. Branchy obtained immediate control and burst clear of the stranded Palace defence. With still some yards to go, he calmly slotted past the advancing keeper and the ball nestled in the corner. It was an immensely enjoyable moment for Graham, which he deservedly milked for all it was worth in front of us. Hopefully now any lingering doubts about Branchy's capabilities have been swept aside, as apart from the goal, he looked the part against the very effective Fan and the experienced Ruddock.

Needless to say the last 15 minutes were more or less spent camped in the Clarets penalty box, and if I do have a real criticism of the team it is their tendency to eschew the short ball and keep possession and go for the long clearance, usually straight back to the opposition, in these situations. Very close to the end one of their players broke through in the centre of the field and Mitchell managed to flatten him without getting himself sent off, but it produced a very dangerous situation particularly with Razor Ruddock available, but he blasted narrowly over. However we reckoned without the insatiable thirst for excitement of Mr Winter who was plainly cheesed off that the first half had been so dull. Therefore he gave a free kick at the edge of the area, inside the box against Crichton for deliberate time wasting, although he had been not significantly slower that on any other occasion in the afternoon. On these occasions the refs are always pratts, but refer back to rule one please.

This time the kick was indirect, but a well worked routine produced a real pile driver from Fan which rocked the goalframe and nearly rebounded into the near touchline, a lucky escape, but poetic justice I felt. Amazingly there was more excitement to come with the Palace goalie coming up for a late corner and from a clearance the ball was blasted into the net, but the ref had already blown for time.

PHEW

A fantastic result, especially coming on the disappointment of the last two games and one that shoots the side away from the danger zone.

I note that the press reports and Ceefax concluded that Burnley had stolen the points etc. Once again it seems that the Press boys have taken the angle that the Second Division new boys took advantage of their "luck" at meeting an out of sorts team, who were themselves "unlucky" on the day. The fact is that throughout Burnley defended resolutely and when the Palace forwards did break through Crichton was there to challenge them. Well, they didn't match him and they simply were not good enough on the day to score. O.K. they hit the goal frame, but in football that doesn't count. Games are not like modern "A" levels or even degrees where the result is awarded on the basis of continuous assessment. By contrast the Clarets had two really clear cut chances and put one in. Branchy "did" their goalie good and proper with a piece of finishing that was in the Payton class. In short a good team performance, and for two individuals and when the really big questions were asked, they had the answers. Palace can hand in all the written work they like but points are awarded for the number of goals scored for and against. Palace lost because they weren't good enough on the day to get a result.

Personally I was delighted with our positive second half approach. Unlike Molyneux where we were content to contain, Stan obviously guessed correctly that their attackers were not good enough and it was a calculated risk to go toe to toe. Even Ball got forward and put in his most positive performance so far, Glen was Glen, and John Mullin once again ran at them with great effect. With Payton and Branch up front we looked potentially dangerous, without creating too many clear cut chances.

The defence were brilliant.

A few more performances like this and those worries I told you about should ease. Following on from my last post it seems the only thing I correctly predicted from my last post was that Stan would make a Charlie out of me, having said that we would lose if he picked the same side.

Please call me Charlie.

Something nil to Fulham on Tuesday, and hopefully my second name will be Wally on Wednesday.

UTC & Keep Believing

Charles Walter Igor Wowk

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