The Clarets warm up before their impressive win at Leicester

The Clarets continued their 100% record with a very impressive win at Leicester. A fine Andy Gray header was the difference between the sides as Burnley achieved the same points total after two games that it took us until the middle of September to achieve last season.

Again, Steve Cotterill sprung a surprise when naming his starting eleven by replacing James O’Connor, who didn’t miss a league game all last season, with Micah Hyde, who celebrated his removal from the transfer list by claiming a place in the starting line-up. Otherwise it was the same team that won on the opening day against QPR.

We started nervously, and in the first ten minutes, just could not keep hold of the ball. Every time we were in possession, it was given away cheaply. No surprise then that the first chance on 13 minutes would fall to Leicester City.

They were given a free kick just outside the area in a very dangerous position. Andy Johnson curled in a fine shot which was heading for the top corner. From the away end this was going in, but somehow the Beast managed to get across and superbly tip it over the bar for a corner.

It was a let off, but from then on in we took the first half to Leicester. Midway through, Micah Hyde hit a shot from outside the area just over the bar that Paul Henderson looked to always have covered. On 31 minutes an corner from Alan Mahon was only half cleared and the ball fell to Wade Elliott, just outside the area, dead centre, and he smacked a shot against the underside of the Leicester bar. How unlucky, but just minutes later, our luck was out again.

An Alan Mahon free kick saw the Clarets again hit the bar, and an almighty scramble ensued in the Leicester box which looked like it would lead to the first goal, but somehow the ball just wouldn’t go in and Leicester cleared their lines. It was around this time that the amusing ‘Walkers Crisps, taste of s***’ chant went up.

The first half was drawing to a close, a first half in which we had had by far the better chances. Leicester were OK in possession, but were creating little, and as half time approached they were knocking the ball about deep in the Burnley half trying to find an opening.

“Not now”, we thought as the board for injury time went up to show there was one minute to be added. The Clarets though broke away and Jon Harley won us a free kick on the left hand side, 35 or so yards out.

Alan Mahon again took the kick, and curled it onto the head of Andy Gray, who superbly rose with his back to goal to flick the ball past Henderson and give the Clarets a deserved 1-0 lead. The half time whistle went immediately after and the half time pint tasted much better in the knowledge that we had the lead.

The second half saw Leicester come into the game a little more, but the Clarets again had the more clear-cut chances to finish the game off. Steve Jones looked to be in after dispossessing a Leicester defender in a dangerous position, but Darren Kenton managed to get a boot in as Jones was about to pull the trigger and the chance was gone.

Andy Gray was next to dispossess a Leicester defender after more sloppy defending, but when Gray squared the ball to Jones, Jones saw his shot saved by Henderson and the rebound in front of an open goal was somehow deflected behind for a corner.

The Burnley fans were already celebrating, and it was hard to tell what happened from our corner at the opposite end of the stadium, but a miraculous recovery from a defender looked to have thwarted Jones as he was about to put us 2-0 up.

Jensen again saved brilliantly low down from Elvis Hammond with ten minutes left and the resultant corner saw Josh Low hit the bar. With just five minutes to go, a heart stopping moment from Brian Jensen, who had otherwise had a very good game almost saw us surrender the lead.

A poor shot came in that Jensen went down to collect, but under very little pressure Jensen let the ball squirm away from his grasp to Matty Fryatt who had the simple task of putting the ball into the empty net. Unbelievably Jensen recovered and snatched the ball from Fryatt as he was about to equalise. God knows how Jensen managed to outstretch an arm to recover, but he did, and with that came Leicester’s last chance.

Cotterill brought on Lafferty and Foster, which helped run the clock down, and as the board for three minutes went up the Clarets were deep in Leicester territory, in the corner, and we happily played out the last three minutes there. The final whistle went, and a very good performance saw us come away from the Walker with another three points.

We may have been knocked off the top as a result of Crystal Palace’s win over Southend, but who cares? We have taken a maximum six points from our two games, and we are playing some good stuff. Steve Jones is looking very sharp and he worried Leicester all night.

We’re off to Sheffield on Saturday to face Sheffield Wednesday, and after winning the first two games, we can be sure of a good following over there, and with the way we are playing, the chance of more points to add to our tally. We’re looking good, and with Jones and Gray in this kind of mood, the goals that were lacking after Ade’s departure last season look to be back, as well as some miserly defending.

Bring on Wednesday, up the Clarets!