
As if to celebrate Rigg's successful driving test, the Lads had a night out in Burnley and brought back a point that should have been three. Two identical late penalties by Isidor were saved, and he missed two more great chances. As Chrissie Hynde once sangs, Don't Get Me Wrong - I really like the Lad, and he was brave enough to take the second after the first was stopped, but at least one of his efforts should have gone in. Of course we'd have taken a point at kickoff, but we should have won that one and the home side looked a lot happier with the result than we did.
An awayday first, a landslide on the A59 meant a torturous if scenic diversion along some of the narrower and steeper roads in the Dales, so it was a slightly truncated cocktail stop in Colne. Naturally we didn't get the good wishes we'd received on our way to Blackburn at but that's fair enough. In came the predicted line-up from a secret source, and once we'd negotiated the chaos that was the turnstile queues, and the chaos of the away end, we found it was correct.
Patterson
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil (c) Bellingham
Roberts Rigg Le Fee
Isidor
..and a bench of Moore, Ballard, Hjelde, Aouchiche, Ogunsuyi, Mayenda, Jones, Samed, and Aleksic. Plenty of positive options there.
As it was Burnley's first home game of the year, there was a period of applause for fans and former players who'd left us in 2024 - including Denis Law, gone today.
In the white away kit, which meant only skidmarks separated the sides below the waist, we attacked the far end and the Clarets set things away. After a couple minutes of finding our feet, Hume hit a lovely pass to the left but the cross came in way too high, then we nearly got through when Wilson was foiled by the outrushing keeper then the covering defender. A good save by Patto, flying to his right, conceded the first of two corners which we got away.
Wilson was away on 20, moving in from the right and whacking one just over, and we did get it into the net ten minutes later but it was offside. Just, but clearly. Patto did well to dive onto a low cross after a free on our left, then we got on top. The last five minutes of the half were mostly about Sunderland pressure, and after the single added minute there wasn't much between the sides - although we'd been the calmer.
There were no changes for the second half, and it really should have been 1-1 after a minute. First, Burnley sliced a good chance horribly wide, then Wilson galloped into a lovely ball in from Le Fee on the left, but crashed it wide. Rigg broke away after what I hoped was a play-on when Roberts was fouled, but when it came to Enzo his shot deflected off a defender's head for the first of two corners, the second of which Cirkin headed over the bar.
The ref, who spent most of the evening ignoring his assistants, stopped play when a home player crawled back on, then refused to when Isidor was barged over. No free kick either, in case you wondered.
With fifteen to go, Mayenda replaced Rigg, who presumably went to do some donuts in his new car, and we went two up top. Our new tactical option - surely a goal will come of it. Mepham, who'd been his usual ice-cool self, went down and was eventually replaced by Ballard. A ball out of defence was flicked on by Roberts to Mayenda, who drove towards the goal from the right before slipping it to his marra on the edge of the box. A stride later Issy was brought down and it was a penalty. Off came the keeper's gloves, starting five minutes of faffing about that should really have brought a yellow.
Isidor (not my penner choice, but hey ho), just blast it at the keeper's face. If he moves either way, it's in. If he stands still, it'll probably break his nose and you'll put the rebound away... Low to the keeper's right, saved, and the home fans woke up after nearly a full game of gentle murmuring.
Six added minutes were announced, our fans raised the noise a notch and we went for it. Enzo played a clever one to Cirkin in the box, and as he tried to put the brakes on near the goal line a Claret dived in, taking Cirkin's legs away and scooping the ball with his arm. I'm not sure which the ref didn't like, but it was another penalty.
Down went the keeper, causing ructions as we tried to get him to his feet, and, after "treatment" he went for a drink and was deservedly booked. On another day, in a posher league, it might well have been his second yellow, but not today. His mind games worked, as Issy hit an identical shot and drew an identical save, except we at least got a corner this time. Couldn't score from it, mind, although there was still time for us to fire another shot way over.
0-0, and as far as goalless draws go, it was a decent game - for the neutral. Too frustrating for me to really enjoy it, but Burnley probably expected six easy points out of us at the start of the season, so I should be grateful we got four. I like the look of Le Fee, while Neil and Bellingham controlled much of the central midfield. There were some classic Hume tackles and more assured play from Mepham, while his eventual replacement, Big Dan, kept his head - almost, getting a yellow in the aftermath of the second penalty.
Penalties? Mebbe Jobe should have been given the second, but remember the promotion season of 95-96? We missed loads.I hope that's an omen of sorts, but I also hope we convert every one we get before the end of the season anyway.
Man of the Match? Patto did all the traditional goalkeepery stuff well, in that he kept it out of the net, but we scream at him to hoof it rather than play it short to Luke or Mepham - but swear at him when a hoof takes a steward's hat off. Can't win, really. I'll give it to Bellingham, who shows more strength in each game.