MATCH RESULT

TEAM NEWS

Burnley:

Jensen

Duff Cahill Sinclair Camara

Roche O'Connor Grant Branch Moore

Blake

Subs not used: Subs: Yates, O'Neill, Sanokho, Pilkington, Scott.

Burnley went into the game with the same side that played against Brighton away the previous weekend. Burnley still have injury problems and still out are Danny Coyne, the most recent injury woe John McGreal, Jean Louis-Valois, Richard Chaplow, Ryan Townsend and Micah Hyde. Robbie Blake will again be a single striker despite the return of Ian Moore who will be playing out of place on the left wing.

Millwall:

Stack

Muscat Phillips Ward Lawrence

Livermore Simpson Elliott Tessem

Hayles Dobie

Subs: Josh Simpson (Paul Ifill 58)

Marvin Elliott (Danny Dichio 62)

Scott Dobie (Adrian Serioux 73)

Subs Not Used: Andy Marshall, Jody Morris.

Millwall went into the game without player/manager Dennis Wise in the 16-man squad. He was a serious injury doubt before the game through his gashed leg. Other than the absence of Wise they had a full side.

Millwall went into the game as a big side with big names. Their tallest 2 players being Daniele Dichio and defender Darren Ward standing at a massive 6'3''. This must have been to compensate for Millwall boss Dennis Wise's lack of height. There were several big names, two of which have already been mentioned. The two big whingers-Wise and Hayles-are Premiership players but have come down a division in recent years. Dichio's arial presence is enormous and recent signing Scott Dobie has scored a staggering 45 league goals in 157 league starts. That's a goal in every 3 games on average. His cup form is even better.

MATCH REPORT

First Half

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the first 5 minutes. Burnley were first, seeing Ian Moore shooting straight at Millwall 'keeper Graham Stack from Robbie Blake's assist. Then it was Barry Hayles who missed, his flicked header bouncing wide of Brian Jensen's post.

Mo Camara went on 'One Of His Runs' down the left flank, linking up with Robbie Blake well before Millwall's Darren Ward had to stretch to clear the ball.

Brian Jensen was forced into action to save a shot by Scott Dobie. He managed to stop it but the ball bounced away from him and was successfully cleared by Michael Duff to prevent the waiting Barry Hayles from slotting the ball into the back of Burnley's net.

It was Dobie again who shot, this time blocked by Gary Cahill in The Clarets back-line. The referee was getting plenty of boo's from the crowd when he didn't show Jo Tessem a yellow card for a foul on Robbie Blake which certainly merited more than a yellow. Then booked Cahill for a foul in response for the Tessem challenge on the half-way line, and booked James O'Connor for complaining to the referee about not booking David Livermore for a deliberate elbow in the face. Both teams went down the tunnel and back to their dressing rooms at half-time and Millwall went in the better side, although both sides were frustrated at missed chances.

Second Half

Millwall marched out of the tunnel and almost immediately went ahead. Barry Hayles' shot on goal was charged down once more by the on form Gary Cahill.

Lee Roche took a throw-in down the right hand side for James O'Connor to run onto. He whipped the ball across but it was handballed and the referee pointed to the spot. The Millwall players surrounded the referee claiming the penatly to be ball to hand but the man in charge was to have none of it.

Robbie Blake stepped up to the spot. The man who had scored 2 goals in 2 games and this would be his 8th league goal and 11th in total of the season, if he converted sucessfully. The ball was struck coolly to the right of Stack, who had dived the wrong way.

Millwall boss Dennis Wise brought on Paul Ifill and Daniele Dichio in order to salvage something from the game.

Then on the 65th Ian Moore, who was playing in the Burnley midfield, got the ball on the halfway line. He ran up the pitch, beating 2 players before feeding an inch perfect pass through to James O'Connor. Burnley would have been able to put the game past Millwall but for a piece of excellent defending from Darren Ward.

Canadian International Adrian Serioux came on for Scott Dobie on the 73rd and his long throws were proving a problem, but Burnley's defense dealt with it easily. Frank Sinclair, Graham Branch, Gary Cahill and Michael Duff were all winning headers from longballs played from the Millwall midfield.

Jo Tessem had the ball with only minutes left on the clock

MATCH RATINGS & STATS

 Jensen 7- Started commanding his area, one dodgy save. Clean Sheet.

 Duff 8 Good, got forward well, slipped to almost give them the point.

 Camara 8-Got forward and defended well. Got official MOM.

 Sinclair 8- Superb, defended perfectly. Won 2 very good headers.

 Cahill 8- Despite his age he is a remarkably good player.

 Roche 8- Very good. Chased the ball down well and is on good form.

 Grant 7- Put some passes astray, but closed down well.

 O'Connor 7- Was involved in winning the penalty. Did a lot of running.

 Branch 7- Won some good headers nearing the end but got booked.

 Moore 8- A good run on the ball and played a good role in the midfield.

 Blake 8- Good finish from the spot, held the ball up well.

THE TABLE & OTHER RESULTS

Burnley now lie 8th in the Championship on 30 points. 6 teams are within 2 pointsof the Clarets, including Millwall who have 2 games in hand on Burnley.

We are 2 points from Sheffield United in 7th and 4 points from the Playoff places. We have almost reached the halfway point in the season and if we carry on with the form of the first half then we will be easily safe from relegation and we surely now are hoping to bulid on the 19th place of last season and push to mid-table.

Other results in The Championship;

Burnley  1-0  Millwall                                    11,471

Coventry City  0-1  Crewe Alexandra            12,823

Gillingham  2-1  Nottingham Forest                8,784

Ipswich Town  1-0  Brighton and Hove Albion  26,269

Leicester City  2-1  Plymouth Argyle               23,799

Preston North End  3-0  Derby County            12,702

Queens Park Rangers  1-0  Cardiff City          15,146

Reading  1-1  Wigan Athletic                          22,114

Sheffield United  3-3  Wolverhampton Wanderers    18,946

Stoke City  0-1  Sunderland                                  16,980

West Ham United  3-2  Watford                              24,541

Prediction League Table