BFTG - Burnley (H)

[windermere_royal]

Just got home WTF? probably one of the best performanes of the season, but the usual errors you wouldn`t see on a Sunday morning came up to kick us in he balls. brilliant beer and good sunnny day. cruel way to end the season, but not too unhappy given that our PO odds slight at least.
just wish to god it was`nt that load of shirt lifters. oh well on to another adventures starting August.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

The irony of it all is that 3 more performances like that would have seen us promoted.

Legs was my MOTM today. Thought he was superb. As per usual, our calamity defending has cost us. If we look back over the course of the season, calamity defending is probably the one major factor that's cost us. Our pick & mix midfield may have just about got us over the line but far too many errors from all the CB's this season.

[kwik-silva]

The irony of it all is that 3 more performances like that would have seen us promoted.

Concentrating into stoppage time against a 10-man Millwall would have seen us promoted.

Thought we looked good but it wasn't today we lost it. For anybody that didn't actually see the match my report is here.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Nigel looked so gutted on the touchline. I really felt for him. Football is such a cruel game.

I will take a small crumb of comfort from watching Brighton get arseraped by Derby though.

[sandman]

The irony of it all is that 3 more performances like that would have seen us promoted.

Concentrating into stoppage time against a 10-man Millwall would have seen us promoted.

Thought we looked good but it wasn't today we lost it. For anybody that didn't actually see the match my report is here.

So would beating 8 men, turning up against Barnsley and numerous other moments.

[windermere_royal]

At end of the day 8 home wins out of 23 altimately cost us the chances of auto let alone a P/O spot , anything ever close to a decent home record would see us contested the end of season lottery

[6ft Kerplunk]

Nigel looked so gutted on the touchline. I really felt for him. Football is such a cruel game.

He's had a year to get his squad to understand the system he wants them to play. Given how many goals we've conceded this season a lot of that should have involved defending. Whether there's injuries or not the whole squad should understand what they should be doing. Not sure Adkins has managed to get it across to the players ot adapt his system if he doesn't have the players to play the way he wants to.

[genome]

The players looked dejected on the lap of honour. It was like a lap of misery.

[windermere_royal]

The players looked dejected on the lap of honour. It was like a lap of misery.

They had 22 home games before today to put us in a strong position, it`s the fans I feel for!!!

[RoyalTank]

Great team performance today, such a shame that we just couldn't grab that third goal - it's football, it happens.

I am not normally one to complain about the standard of refereeing but today was appalling. I can think of 5/6 terrible decisions that ultimately cost us the play off spot today, the lino completely bottled for the handball that never was. Hey ho, it evens itself out over the whole season... Doesn't it?

[winchester_royal]

Didn't think we were that good tbh. First half was very meek, we sat back and allowed Burnley and their excellent attacking players to their thing under very little pressure. And of course we had our customary defensive howler around the 30 minute mark. Second half was much better after the tactical change made by Nige (which was spot on tbf to him), but we didn't show much of a desire to get the winning goal which we'd inevitably need.

Possibly should have wrapped it up in the second half with some of the chances we had, but we paid the price for a poor first half and ultimately for a thoroughly lackluster season.

Changes needed in the summer.

[kwik-silva]

I'd say we did okay in the first half, gave them two gilt edged opportunities though and they took them, and I think we threw quite a lot at a very good team, and should have come away with all the points from Pog - stopped only by a very, very good block - or McCleary.

[winchester_royal]

Gave them more than that. Don't forget the Ings chance at the end of the first half, which was similar to McCleary's one.

[kwik-silva]

Keep forgetting about that one, true.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I've done a 180 on JT. Hope he gets a new contract.

[Ian Royal]

Bum.

Thought we put in one of our better displays of the season against a good Burnley side in fine confidence. Still had the defensive frailties and lack of being clinical enough in the final third though. Fans were in good voice through out and but for what looked like a couple of terrible referring decisions, two soft goals, two off the line and one missed one on one we could have been there.

Midfield didn't look too bad to me, considering it was 4th and 5th choice and then 5th and 6th choice playing. In fact I'd say Ledge played pretty well and doesn't seem to have lost much after his injury. I liked that Akpan looked to bring the ball down and play it when he could. But in general the quality wasn't quite there, they didn't get forward to support the attack quite well enough and got bypassed a little too easily.

Fantastic break from McAnuff off Obita's ball I think. Deadly cross. Wonder strike from McCleary.

Morrison still not back on form but gradually improving, think Hector should have been given his chance ahead of him in hindsight.

Ho hum. Another season in the exciting Championship. Good luck Burnley, stick it to the rich brats.

Pleased Obita won PotS. Well deserved.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Was Alfie's ball to Jobi for the oggy.

[Ian Royal]

Was Alfie's ball to Jobi for the oggy.

Wasn't it Alfie that nearly got on the end of it too? That's some running.

[kwik-silva]

I thought it was Gunter that almost got on the end of it but I could be hugely wrong?

[marlowuk]

This was a game that produced passion, entertainment, total confusion (at the final whistle) and, ultimately, disappointment!

To be honest I wasn't expecting much when I heard both Guthrie and Williams were sidelined. To lose both first choice Central Midfielders would surely prove to much for us. In the event Ledge was immense (probably MOTM for me) and Akpan did well although he has a tendency to be on the periphery of the action too often. Burnley had certainly come to win the game and always looked dangerous in attack with slick interplay between their front men. But we produced one of our best performances of the season and, although virtually all of our players produced the odd mistake, none of them can be faulted for their commitment to the cause. Right from the start we attacked with pace and were appealing for a penalty before 60 seconds were up. I was too far away to see if this was justified or not. We were lucky (although that luck was earned by our pressure) to go one up via an own goal but within a few minutes had gifted Burnley the equaliser. A quickly taken free kick just outside our box found the defence sleeping but the subsequent low cross should have been cleared before it reached Arfield who tucked it away. Inevitably Ings scored on a counter attack before HT and we were staring defeat in the face.

To our credit our heads didn't go down and we continued to press. McCleary was causing problems down one wing and Jobi down the other with Gunter and POTS Obita giving them great support. Hal and Jake Taylor were on by this time and it was Hal who set up McCleary for the superb equaliser! Alf had worked hard before being replaced by Hal and was much more involved than he had been in previous games this season. Pog too gave everything for the team and had a few chances that he just couldn't quite put away. McCleary had a chance to wrap up the points with a one-on-one with their keeper who spread himself well to deflect the shot away. McCarthy also had work to do and saved with a similar one-on-one from (I think) Ings(?)

Some have criticised Morrison but for me he was very solid and getting back to his form of old. Pearce won most of his arial battles but he must look to direct his headers more accurately to fellow team mates. The Burnley defenders were much better at doing that. Finally a word for Jake Taylor who came on and looked very comfortable on the ball.

We had enough chances to have won it but Heaton was inspired in the Burnley goal and the ball simply wouldn't run for us. The late Brighton goal was a sickener and the less said about the pitch invasion the better!

What happens next season is anyone's guess. I hope we can keep Williams but, whoever we lose, we know we have the strength in our academy and U21 sides to replace them and, given time, they will come good. The future is not so bad!!