Magic of the Cook: Ternent's heroes join 'big guns' in round three

SWELTERING in Brazil watching the European Champions coin it in against another 'world power' from the other side of the globe, or freezing at Turf Moor watching some honest English cup passion?

I know which I'd choose and it would be the FA Cup any day - honest.

I might have thought twice about it after watching Burnley overcome Barnet in a turgid first-round encounter.

But Saturday's riveting victory over Barnet's Third Division promotion rivals Rotherham fully restored the faith.

Although the ingredient for a potential shock was largely missing from the plot, this was still cup football at its best.

The minnows threatened sporadically in the first half before relying almost solely on their heroic goalkeeper to earn them a decent pay-day and chance of glory back on their own ground.

It wasn't to be, however, as Burnley's relentless pressure and free-flowing football finally proved too much even for Mike Pollitt, a giant physically and metophorically.

The well-travelled keeper, who started his career at Manchester United and is now playing for his 10th club, coped with everything Burnley could throw at him until Paul Cook threaded a thunderous drive through a packed goalmouth to find the back of the net mid-way through the second half.

Eight minutes later it was game over as John Mullin volleyed home a delightful second and Rotherham were left hoping to be drawn out as the Axa 'wild card' entry into round three.

No such straw-clutching for Burnley, though, as they readily accepted the opportunity given to them to claim a third-round berth for the first time in three years.

The Clarets emphatically underlined the gulf in class between the top of divisions two and three as they took full revenge for their cup exit to the South Yorkshire club two years ago. Rotherham were impressive going forward early on as they played with two genuine wing-backs, as opposed to full-backs pushing forward, and broke dangerously from midfield.

But any chance of a repeat upset foundered on their inability to cope at the back.

Ronnie Moore's side has shown a massive improvement on its defensive record this season.

But then they aren't faced with the likes of Andy Payton, Andy Cooke, John Mullin and the outstanding Glen Little every week.

Burnley's front players caused havoc as the chances piled up from the second minute onwards, only for Pollit's brilliant goalkeeping allied to a couple of bad misses to keep the home side waiting.

Steve Davis set the pattern for the afternoon when his header from Little's corner was tipped over by Pollitt.

And the Rotherham number-one had already saved well from Mitchell Thomas, and then Little, before the first five minutes were over.

When Pollitt was beaten, Brian Wilsterman cleared off the line from Payton but it wasn't all one-way traffic.

Rotherham were dangerous on the counter-attack, notably through Trevor Berry and it took an excellent save from Paul Crichton at his near post to stop Berry putting the underdogs ahead.

However, the visitors' eagerness to get men forward left them short at the back and Payton should have punished them with 20 minutes gone.

Accepting Cook's pass, Payton beat one defender to be faced only by Pollitt. But, opting for power, Payton saw his shot cannon off the keeper and out for a corner. Davis was next to try his luck but from Cooke's fine cross, headed straight at Pollitt, and Mullin then hit the bar after Little had switched flanks and this time sparked the danger from the left.

Aware that they should have been in front, Burnley camped in Rotherham's half after the break as they toiled to avoid the sucker-punch of a goal completely against the run of play.

With Burnley's smallest crowd of the season - bar the Worthington Cup-tie - creating hitherto the best atmosphere, the Clarets tore into their opponents.

Backed by a wall of sound, Cooke missed a gilt-edged chance when he slid a shot wide of the post when clean through and Micky Mellon was tackled on the point of shooting when teed-up by Payton.

Little then played a one-two with Payton but couldn't beat another Pollitt save and Gordon Armstrong headed against the bar from Little's cross.

It was magical stuff and the wave of pressure finally paid dividends after 67 minutes when Burnley's 14th corner proved to be one too many for the plucky visitors.

The initial danger was cleared but for a defending team, Cook is about the last man you would want running onto a loose ball 25 yards out and his vicious half-volley flew through a mass of bodies to deceive Pollitt and make it 1-0.

Having made the breakthrough, Burnley then made sure when Mullin collected Dean West's throw and advanced unchecked to rifle a right-footer into the top corner.

Payton almost made it three with a top-corner bound effort which Pollitt clawed away. And then just so not to feel left out, Crichton produced a carbon copy at the other end to thwart Paul Warne and retain an air of realism to the scoreline.

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