All Leagues, Features, Keeping it real, Leagues POSTS

“Keeping It Real “ Team of the week – Battling Burnley

Published by DSAdmin on January 25, 2009

The real glory in football comes the trophies are handed out at the end of the season and you rarely get anything for hard work and effort in January. The Cup competitions have taken precedence over league action in the past week and although Manchester United have swept to another final and cruised past Premier league opposition in the FA Cup, the “Keeping It Real” team of the week hasn’t been as successful. Come the end of the season and regardless of what number of trophies they eventually end up with, the vast majority of Manchester United fans will recall very little about the past week but you can guarantee that fans of Burnley F.C. will recall this week for the rest of their lives.

It all started on Wednesday night when the Clarets were set the gargantuan task of overhauling a three goal deficit at Turf Moor as Spurs came with a 4-1 advantage from the White Hart Lane leg. Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal had already been dismissed in the League Cup by Burnley but very few people believed that another shock would be on the way. Burnley led 1-0 at half time thanks to a tremendous free-kick from Robbie Blake and amazingly, notched two goals in the second half to make the score 3-0 to Burnley and the two legged tie was level at 4-4. In most competitions, this would have seen Burnley through on the away goals rule but the League Cup chooses to only acknowledge away goals after extra time so there was another thirty minutes to play but if there was no further scoring, Burnley were off to Wembley.

Perhaps nerves got the better of Burnley or Premier league fitness told in the end but Spurs stole two late goals at the very end of extra time to cruelly put the Championship side out and prevent the fans from having a day out in London they would never forget. There’s rarely time to rest or reflect in football and Burnley were on the road again, this time facing Premier league West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Many predicted that Burnley would be deflated and jaded after their midweek Cup exploits but took the lead through a penalty strike from Alexander. The Scottish international kept his nerve and it appeared that perhaps Burnley were going to taste some FA Cup glory to make up for the pain in the League Cup

West Brom, able to play with more freedom than the premiership relegation dogfight usually allows, battled back to take a 2-1 lead and were looking good for a spot in the next round until the 89th minute when Martin Patterson sensationally levelled for Burnley. The 120 minutes of football against Spurs couldn’t have tired out Burnley too much and they fully deserve a second crack at West Brom back at Turf Moor. They may not have progressed in either tie but the battle and effort shown by the Burnley fans will be treasured and remembered for generations to come by their loyal and noisy fans.

** Photo Credit: thekillerbiscuit **

Readers Rating: