By The Longside
April 11 2004

We bring you a couple of reports through the eyes of the media on yesterday's victory at Walsall. We have reports from the Sporting Life and the People.

Walsall 0 Burnley 1

Sporting Life

Robbie Blake's second-half penalty was enough to edge Burnley closer to First Division safety in a tense basement battle at the Bescot Stadium.

Blake slammed home a 56th-minute spot-kick following Craig Burley's clumsy challenge on Neil Wood to earn Stan Ternent's side a crucial away win - only their fourth of the season.

Walsall were unbeaten in their previous three league matches, but fell way short of that standard against no-nonsense Burnley, who created the better chances.

Neither enjoyed any clear-cut openings in a scrappy start, a weak effort from Burnley defender Mohammed Camara that sailed over the crossbar best summing up a tense encounter.

Glen Little, Tony Grant and Camara all made headway out wide for the visitors to fire in crosses, but the Walsall rearguard were not unduly flustered.

But Walsall, unbeaten in their last three league games and tantalisingly close to the 50-point safety mark, offered little in attack.

Colin Lee's side secured a crucial 1-0 win at Derby last time out to edge five points clear of the drop zone, but they showed little of the form that secured them a point in the home draw with Millwall and a 2-1 win at Preston prior to that.

Burnley boss Ternent reckons three more wins will be enough to ensure First Division football at Turf Moor next season and a water-tight defence was his priority following last week's 5-3 home defeat to Norwich.

Paul Merson at last forced Burnley keeper Brian Jensen into a save with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that was comfortably held, while Blake twice threatened with close-range efforts for the visitors.

The impressive Little was behind most of Burnley's better moments and he headed over the crossbar just after half an hour, while Grant's 20-yard shot was held by Walsall keeper James Walker.

Burnley looked the more likely as half-time approached, Neil Wood firing wide from distance as Walsall laboured.

Lee was forced to replace the injured Matt Carbon with Ian Roper during the interval, but Burnley were first to threaten when Grant blazed over from 20 yards, while Walsall responded with a Simon Osborn shot from equal distance.

Burnley then took a deserved lead when Walsall's Craig Burley brought down dangerman Grant in the box and Blake slammed home his 22nd goal of the season from the spot.

That setback briefly stirred Walsall and both Merson and Jorge Leitao tested Jensen with long-range drives.

The out-of-sorts Merson was then replaced by Jermaine McSporran, with Lee also sending on Mark Wright for Burley in a double switch.

But it was Burnley who still carried the greater threat, Little's goalbound shot blocked by Keith Andrews and Ian Moore firing narrowly wide.

McSporran flashed a 20-yard shot over the crossbar, but it was far too little, too late to save the Saddlers, who must wait another week to make sure of safety after slipping to their seventh home defeat of the season.

 

Teams

Walsall: Walker, Aranalde, Emblen, Roper (Carbon 45), Bazeley, Merson (McSporran 61), Burley (Wright 62), Osborn, Andrews, Bradbury, Leitao.

Subs Not Used: Petterson, Kris Taylor.

Burnley: Jensen, Camara, McGregor, Branch, Roche, Wood, Weller (Chaplow 70), Grant, Little, Blake, Ian Moore (Chadwick 82), Chaplow (Johnrose 77).

Subs Not Used: Abbey, Alan Moore.

Booked: Grant, Roche.

Goals: Blake 56 pen.

Att: 7,769

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).

 

ICE-COOL ROBBIE FREEZES OUT WALSALL

Walsall 0 Burnley 1

People


ICE-COOL Robbie Blake kept his nerve to boost Burnley's survival bid with a second half penalty.

The Claret's leading scorer claimed his 22nd of the season to create a four-point cushion between Stan Ternent's side and the First Division drop zone.

But the shock home defeat dragged Colin Lee's men back into the basement scrap.

Burnley boss Ternent has always insisted his side will stay up and on this display he has every right to be confident.

The visitors looked like a side who had finally woken up to the fact they are in the thick of a relegation battle and should have won by a distance.

But they were guilty of blowing a bagful of chances and had to rely on Blake's deadly accuracy from the spot after Craig Burley had brought down Neil Wood in the 55th minute.

The visitors bossed the game from the opening whistle but it took 23 minutes before they managed a meaningful effort on goal when Blake saw a left foot shot saved. And when Wood shot wide from just ten yards, Ternent must have feared this was not going to be Burnley's day.

But ten minutes after the break Blake picked out Paul Weller with a cross-field ball and the midfielder nodded into the path of the onrushing Wood.

Burley launched a clumsy lunge at the on-loan Manchester United youngster and referee Steve Bennett pointed immediately to the spot to set up Blake's winner.

Walsall finally sprung to life in the dying minutes and should have made Burnley pay for failing to make the game safe.

Substitute Jermaine McSporran crashed a right foot volley wide and Zigor Aranalde came close with two free kicks but it was too little too late for the Saddlers.

WALSALL: Walker 6 - Bazeley 6, *EMBLEN 7, Roper 6 (Carbon 46mins, 6), Aranalde 6 - Burley 5 (Wright 61mins, 6), Osborn 6, Andrews 6, Merson 5 (McSporran 61mins, 6) - Bradbury 6, Leitao 5.

BURNLEY: Jensen 6 - Roche 6, McGregor 7, Branch 6, Camara 6 - Little 7, Grant 7, Wood 6, Weller 6 (Chaplow 71mins, 6), Johnrose 78mins) - I.Moore 7 (Chadwick 82mins), *BLAKE 8. Ref: S. Bennett 7.


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