By Longsider
August 30 2004

We bring you some press reports of our draw at Rotherham last night. The reports covering this match come from the Daily Telegraph, Sporting Life and ITV Football.

Rotherham 0 Burnley 0

ITV FOOTBALL

Burnley goalkeeper Danny Coyne put in a man-of-the-match performance to earn Steve Cotterill's men a point in the goalless draw at Millmoor. The Wales international made four superb saves to deny the home side who bossed the second half, but could find no way past Coyne in an otherwise grim encounter in South Yorkshire. Burnley, who have now not won at Millmoor since January 1993, were quicker out of the traps than the home side and fashioned the opening chance of the game after eight minutes. The impressive Richard Chaplow left Scott Minto for dead on the right flank before crossing for Graham Branch, who was unfortunate to see his eight-yard header drift just over the crossbar.

After stalling in the opening exchanges, the Millers finally moved up the gears in the 15th minute when Chris Sedgwick flung over a dipping cross that was greeted by John Mullin's superb diving header. Mullin appeared destined to get one over his former employers with the opening goal, but the midfielder had not counted on Coyne who made a fine reflex save low to his left. Unfortunately for the neutral, Mullin's chance was as close as either side came to a goalscoring opportunity in the first half.

The game was in desperate need of a flash of invention, and it thankfully arrived five minutes after the restart. Rotherham playmaker Paul Shaw found himself in space, and with men either side of him, 20 yards from goal. Opting to go it alone, the Sheffield United loan signing unleashed a stinging right-footed drive which forced Coyne into another good save high to his left-hand side.

Moore's men were now in pole position but despite creating several promising chances, including Mullin's volley and Michael Proctor's snap-shot which were brilliantly saved by Coyne, they lacked the guile to break Burnley down as the game drifted aimlessly to its unspectacular conclusion.

COYNE PROVES VALUE TO BURNLEY

Sporting Life

Burnley boss Steve Cotterill saluted the fighting spirit of patched-up goalkeeper Danny Coyne after the goalless draw with Rotherham at Millmoor. Coyne sustained an ankle injury in the opening-day draw at home to Sheffield United at the weekend and was a major doubt for trip to South Yorkshire. But the Wales international played through the pain barrier and pulled off four superb saves to keep the Millers at bay.

The 30-year-old crowned a fine performance in the 76th minute when he turned away John Mullin's volley before getting to his feet to deny Michael Proctor on the follow-up.

"What I will say about Danny is that he was magnificent tonight because I don't think he should have played," said Cotterill. "If you had seen his ankle he was the one who was struggling, and I thought there was no chance he would play. "But he was brilliant, and as for the saves we all know what he can do in those situations. But the biggest pat on the back was that he actually played, which was a credit to his character."

The Burnley back four now look much steelier now, and Cotterill said: "I thought we defended comfortably and I was very pleased. "It is a great place to get a clean sheet, and the fact they changed their formation in the second half is a compliment to the way we played."

Home manager Ronnie Moore was disappointed with his side's performance. Rotherham, who have drawn their opening two games of the season, made all the second-half running but could not make it count. "It was a disappointing game, and I was disappointed with us," said Moore. "They played reasonably well - they came and did what they wanted to do - but I was not happy with our tempo, particularly in the first half. "We've been in good areas. But the final ball wasn't good, and the passing wasn't good. "It's not all doom and gloom, though, because we got the clean sheet. But these are the kind of games we need to be winning because there are better sides than Burnley in this division."

Coyne earns Burnley point

Daily Telegraph

The excellence of Danny Coyne, the Burnley goalkeeper, denied Rotherham at Millmoor last night. Four splendid saves, three in the second half, enabled the visitors to escape with a fortuitous point. John Mullin, twice, Paul Shaw and Michael Proctor all failed to beat the inspired Coyne as both sides added to the drawn encounters they enjoyed on the opening day.

Burnley's early authority enabled Graham Branch to head over when the industrious Richard Chaplow crossed only for Robbie Blake to shoot wide. Rotherham responded with two equally serious threats in a spell of sustained home pressure. Chris Sedgwick drove in teasingly from the right with Mullin diving full-length to head in a near-post attempt that Coyne convincingly pushed behind.

Coyne earned the goalkeeping accolades after the break and he was even more spectacular when dealing with Shaw's crisp 25-yarder. Two further splendid saves in quick succession by Coyne, first from a volley by Mullin and then a follow-up from Proctor kept Burnley in the game.