By Longsider
April 26 2004

We bring some press reports covering our victory over Derby. The reports we bring you today come the Daily Telegraph, Times and the Sporting Life. BRANCH OF QUALITY STREET
Burnley 1 Derby 0

If there was an Egon Ronay of football and he had called in at Burnley on Saturday, they would be pinning five stars at Turf Moor and Pride Park this morning.

Billed as a relegation battle in the second echelon of English football, this was top-grade entertainment which merited extra points for the participants.

Burnley just deserved the three points, through Graham Branch's third goal in five matches since reverting to his old position as a striker after spending the last few seasons in defence.

But both teams deserve commendation for their high-quality passing and non-stop effort. Derby were marginally the more imaginative, while Burnley possessed that little extra in finishing power.

Burnley's defence had the polish and realism of David May allied to Glen Little's mastery of the ball, while George Burley is a lucky man to have gathered together so much young talent.

He has 17-year-old Tom Huddlestone playing for Derby with a physique and a quality reminiscent of the young Duncan Edwards, while team-mates Marcus Tudgay and Leon Osman were at the heart of some magnificent moves.

There were great saves by both keepers, Burnley's Brian Jensen from Osman effort and Lee Grant, whose gravity-defying double save denied Branch a second goal.

Burnley manager Stan Ternent said: "We just shaded it but Derby were excellent in a great game of football. They are a very good side, and will stay up, but we played some good stuff as well."

Burley replied: "We had a lot of the play and created chances; but did not take even one of four outstanding openings. Now we've got to save ourselves against Millwall and Wimbledon."


JENSEN HOLDS BURNLEY TOGETHER
Sunday Times

THOSE who had this game down as a grim struggle between two sides desperate to preserve their First Division status would have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of football on offer. The first half was more distinguished than the second, but the level of excitement never dropped.
In Leon Osman and Paul Peschisolido, Derby appeared to have the ultimate match- winners, but Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen has more than proved his worth in the closing weeks of the season.

His positioning was immaculate and on the one occasion he was beaten, Lee Roche was on the line to stop Marcus Tudgay from scoring. Overall, 1-0 was a fair result.

In the build-up to this encounter, Derby manager George Burley took comfort from his team’s recent good form, but it was no different from that of his opponents. The fact that Derby scored five goals against Preston last week and were supported by more than 4,000 travelling fans yesterday was probably a better indication of success.

With injury problems and money in short supply, Burnley manager Stan Ternent has had an uphill battle this season. Ternent used to pride himself on improving his team season by season, but recently took a reality check and declared that if he could keep the Clarets in the First Division, it would be on a par with anything he has achieved in management.

Ian Taylor’s header for Derby from Adam Bolder’s corner flew inches past the post inside the first minute. Tom Huddlestone then troubled Mark McGregor at the heart of the home defence. The visitors were clearly not interested in playing for a 0-0 draw.

Huddlestone’s foul on Paul Weller in a dangerous position led to a spell of intense home pressure and visiting goalkeeper Lee Grant, caught out of position, had to twist to parry McGregor’s header over the crossbar.

A breathtaking run by Robbie Blake down the right was followed by Osman’s skilful dribble across the centre of the pitch and an interchange between Peschisolido and Taylor which nearly brought a goal but for Jensen’s anticipation. Mo Camara’s sublime centre ought to have been swept home by Blake but Richard Jackson made a timely intervention. When Osman went on the run again and found Peschisolido, who selflessly crossed instead of shooting, Manel unaccountably shot six feet over.

The quality of the football and the subtlety behind so much of the approach play left spectators puzzled regarding the lowly league positions of the combatants.

There was a nervy moment when Michael Johnson gave Burnley an unnecessary corner which Blake finally hit straight at Grant, but the hosts’ greatest problem was springing Derby’s offside trap.

When Graham Branch scored the game’s only goal in the 42nd minute, he had the good sense to hang back as McGregor punted the ball towards him. Youl Mawene’s nervous challenge was never going to dispossess Branch, whose final shot was neatly executed.

Johnson’s superb defending immediately on the restart kept Derby in the game. First he blocked a Camara centre when the marauding wing-back had managed to cross a ball the visiting defence had foolishly written off. Then, with the other foot, he scooped the ball away from the feet of an inrushing Branch.

Taylor spurred his men on, but in chasing the game they could not keep a tight grip on Glen Little. When he broke away, only a fortunate header from the fast-retreating Osman saved the danger.

At the other end, Peschisolido tried a drive along the ground that whistled past the post.

Derby’s defence simply had not got the measure of Camara and when he once again sped down the left, a goal seemed certain. Grant managed to claw away the centre, but only to the feet of Branch. When Branch fired goalwards, Grant courageously smothered the effort and Derby breathed again.

Quite how Burnley, and Jensen in particular, managed to beat out three vicious Derby shots from Osman, Peschisolido and Manel within 10 frantic seconds was unfathomable, but it began to seem like the hand of fate was descending on Derby’s season.

Bolder, who had had a relatively ineffectual afternoon, was replaced by Marco Reich, returning from a long spell out with injury, in an attempt to penetrate Burnley’s defence, but it was further forward that the malaise was most apparent. So it was that five minutes later Junior came on for Peschisolido.

A Huddlestone corner found Taylor’s head, but once again Jensen’s positioning was faultless.

With safety in sight, Branch hammered a long ball down the middle for Luke Chadwick to chase. It was a canny effort which took up valuable seconds. Branch is one of Ternent’s most successful converts.

Such has been the striker shortage at Turf Moor this season that necessity has become the mother of invention and the bargain buy from Stockport has used his positioning skills to great effect. That and his ability to hold up the ball more than compensate for his lack of firepower.

Burnley Jensen, Roche, May, McGregor, Camara, Little (Wood 70), Chaplow, Weller, Johnrose, Blake (Chadwick 77), Branch.

Subs Not Used: Adebola, Alan Moore, Abbey.

Booked: Camara, Chadwick, Branch.

Goals: Branch 42.

Derby Grant, Mawene, Johnson, Jackson, Tudgay, Osman, Huddlestone, Bolder (Reich 70), Taylor, Peschisolido (Junior 80), Manel.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Mills, Doyle.

Att: 16,189

Ref: E Evans (Manchester).

Burnley 1 Derby 0
Sporting Life

Graham Branch scored his second goal in as many games as Burnley virtually assured their place in Division One with victory against relegation rivals Derby.

But the Rams are now just one point off the drop zone after this defeat following Gillingham's comeback win at Wimbledon.

In a tense opening 45 minutes, Clarets midfielder Branch capitalised on an error from Rams defender Youl Mawene, who failed to deal with a cross from Mark McGregor.

Branch then drew goalkeeper Lee Grant before slotting home just three minutes before the break to net his third goal of the season.

The home side had a couple of narrow escapes earlier as Manuel Manel, who scored twice in Derby's 5-1 demolition of Preston last weekend, headed Richard Jackson's cross over the crossbar.

Seconds later home goalkeeper Brian Jensen kept the scores level by repelling Leon Osman's close-range shot.

The Clarets, unchanged from the side that beat relegated Wimbledon on Tuesday, carved open a couple of opportunities in the opening five minutes.

Makeshift right-back Tom Huddlestone fouled Paul Weller just outside the area, only for Marcus Tudgay to block Robbie Blake's free-kick.

Grant rescued Derby by pushing former Manchester United defender David May's header round the post from a Blake corner.

Blake also forced Grant into making a smart save with a shot from 20 yards, before Branch knocked in the opener.

The second half started slowly and it took until the 55th minute for Paul Peschisolido to fire in a shot but May got in a vital block.

Branch went close to grabbing a second minutes later but Rams shot-stopper Grant was again alert to the danger.

Both sides made a change with 20 minutes to go, with Derby boss George Burley bringing on winger Marco Reich for Adam Bolder, while opposite number Stan Ternent replaced Glen Little with Neil Wood.

The Rams nearly earned his side a point 11 minutes from time only for Jensen to keep out a header from skipper Ian Taylor.


Teams

Burnley, Jensen, Roche, May, McGregor, Camara, Little (Wood 70), Chaplow, Weller, Johnrose, Blake (Chadwick 77), Branch.

Subs Not Used: Adebola, Alan Moore, Abbey.

Booked: Camara, Chadwick, Branch.

Goals: Branch 42.

Derby Grant, Mawene, Johnson, Jackson, Tudgay, Osman, Huddlestone, Bolder (Reich 70), Taylor, Peschisolido (Junior 80), Manel.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Mills, Doyle.

Att: 16,189

Ref: E Evans (Manchester).