Game spoiled by Hill feeling

GETTING paid, rather than paying to watch, was the only consolation to be drawn from this dismal game which saw Burnley's 15-match unbeaten League run ended by a penalty that should never have been.

Neither side played well and, with defences on top, there was barely a worthwhile chance created in the 90 minutes.

But sadly much of the blame for a stop-start, disjointed affair must also be aportioned to referee Keith Hill.

In these days of almost constant referee-bashing it can be too easy to blame the officials for shortcomings elsewhere.

But on this occasion the hapless Mr Hill deserved all the stick that came his way.

The 30-year-old from Royston in Hertfordshire, in his second season on the Football League list, contrived to book nine players in a 22-minute spell up to half-time.

He made it into double figures near the end of the game and it was something of a surprise that he avoided sending off more than just Bristol Rovers defender Trevor Challis in the 85th minute.

At a push half the cautions were justified in a match where there was perhaps one bad challenge, a late tackle by Challis on Paul Cook which earned his his first yellow card.

But the fact that the referee managed to penalise some 42 fouls gave a further indication of the way in which he handled a contest that was competitive but never even robust.

And it was therefore perhaps fitting, if wholly unsatisfactory, that he also decided the outcome. Make no mistake Burnley, who failed to function effectively going forward, didn't deserve to win the game.

But a penalty apart, it looked to have 0-0 written all over it - which would have suited the Clarets down to the ground as they looked to extend their undefeated record.

It wasn't sour grapes then when the visitors' camp complained bitterly against Hill's decision to penalise Mitchell Thomas for a pull on Jason Roberts which allowed Jamie Cureton to stroke home the 36th-minute winner from the spot.

Thomas and Roberts had a ding-dong battle all afternoon but on this occasion there looked to be no obvious foul on the Rovers striker before the referee pointed to the spot and sparked furious protests from the Burnley players.

Thomas went into the book for his complaints and with three of Burnley's defenders having been cautioned by this point they spent the remainder of the game walking on egg shells.

With Cook and Micky Mellon also having been shown a card, the Clarets, without injured ball-winner Lenny Johnrose, struggled to put in a tackle running up to half-time and Rovers almost made them pay.

But Chris Brass was able to put a foot in.

And his challenge on Cureton epitomised the effective job Thomas and Brass, starting a League game for the first time this season, did on the free-scoring Rovers front pair. Despite an encouraging opening burst, Burnley struggled to piece much together going forward.

Graham Branch was lively early on and the returning Glen Little, introduced as one of three changes to the side that beat Stoke on Saturday in the absence of the injured Johnrose and Paul Smith and the unavailable Alan Lee, produced a couple of mazy runs and telling crosses.

But from the best of those Branch was unable to get in a shot at the far post.

Without the badly missed Andy Cooke, Burnley are massively reliant on Andy Payton for goals and when he is starved of chances the Clarets' threat is greatly reduced.

Payton's sole chance yesterday arrived just after half-time when Cook managed to find him in space between Bristol defenders.

But this time the Midas touch deserted the striker whose first-time effort was easily held by Lee Jones.

Saturday's defeat at Wrexham was the first time this season that Rovers had conceded goals in the Second Division and having been gifted a lead they were not about to let it go. Robbie Pethick went closest to doubling their advantage with an angled shot which Paul Crichton tipped over, while Gordon Armstrong made an excellent block from Roberts and Andy Tilson headed over the top in the final minute.

Burnley's best bet for an equaliser looked like being to get into the box and win a decision from the referee as they lacked the width far enough forward, despite Little's deployment on the wing in the second half, to get behind the Rovers defence on a regular basis.

The Clarets, who threw on Ronnie Jepson and John Mullin in a bid to pep up their flagging attack, were given one helping hand when Jones picked up a back-pass.

But they made such a hash of the free-kick from an angled position 10 yards from goal that Jepson's effort went out for a throw-in.

It was that sort of afternoon. But all good things come to an end and if they can get back to winning ways against Bournemouth on Friday night, the Clarets will consider this as a blip in an otherwise impressive start to the season.

MATCH FACTS:

Attendance: 7,624 Referee: Keith Hill (Royston, Herts)

Goal attempts: Burnley 5, Rovers 12

On target: Burnley 3, Rovers 3

Offside: Clarets 1, Rovers 0

Corners: Clarets 2, Rovers 6

Fouls committed: Clarets 19, Rovers 23

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.