Fringe benefits: Ternent rings changes as Burnley bow out

CREDIBILITY restored, Burnley can now concentrate on the League - as the cup vanquished say.

With no chance of overhauling a five-goal first-leg deficit against a side unbeaten away from home since December (and having conceded just one goal all season), the Clarets had to set themselves a different agenda.

First and foremost, the aim was was to avoid the kind of punishment dished out by City in their last two meetings when the men from Maine Road had scored 11 times without reply.

And secondly, Clarets chief Stan Ternent took the opportunity to juggle his squad and give some of those players hitherto on the fringe the chance of some competitive action ahead of a spell of three games in seven important days.

So, while their exit at the first stage of the Worthington Cup for the second year running was confirmed, Burnley did put the night to good use, despite losing to Terry Cooke's second-half strike.

Ternent's re-shaped line-up, showing five changes from Saturday's win at Oldham, competed throughout with a City side that also bore little resemblance to the one engaged in First Division combat at the weekend.

Joe Royle made six changes but had players of the calibre of Ian Bishop, Michael Brown, Jamie Pollock and Richard Jobson to come in and ensure there was no remote chance of a comeback of Lazarus proportions.

Ternent rested Andy Payton, Paul Cook, Paul Smith and Dean West and was forced to manage without the injured Andy Cooke. That meant a return to the starting line-up for Glen Little, Graham Branch and Alan Lee and first outings of the season for Chris Brass and Mark Robertson.

All made the most of their opportunities. But it remains to be seen which, if any, of the forward players gets the chance to replace Cooke against Stoke on Saturday.

Little might be the preferred option if Ternent repeats last night's formation of one central striker with support from two others.

But such is the range of players he currently has at his disposal that second-guessing selection is a hit-and-miss business.

Few would have expected Brass to make his return in midfield but he performed in typically terrier-like fashion and playing there, rather than at the back, will at least have upped his fitness levels.

Robertson slotted in for West at right-back and against a winger of Mark Kennedy's calibre he also emerged with credit, although a Second Division return is likely to wait at least until after his 10-day excursion to London on Saturday night to attend an Australian under-23 training camp.

It was certainly a game within a game last night as the overall result was never in doubt.

Even for the wildest of optimists to have felt a flicker of excitement, Burnley needed an early goal.

But, despite a couple of half-chances, the Clarets couldn't pull one out of the bag.

Micky Mellon, playing with an apparent new-found confidence and conviction, went closest with a quickly taken free-kick which sailed only inches wide. And Little, Burnley's most potent attacking player, might have had one penalty from three shouts against the City defence as he ran into the box.

Little also volleyed over from Burnley's best move of the half.

Meanwhile, City zipped the ball around the penalty area without calling Paul Crichton into service until just before the break when Cooke had the Clarets keeper scrambling down to his right to push the ball away.

Ternent made a couple of changes early in the second half and the newcomers delivered Burnley's best efforts in their bid to preserve an unbeaten home record stretching back half-a-dozen games.

West fired a shot just wide with virtually his first touch and Ronnie Jepson had been on the field for only a minute when Gordon Armstrong's free-kick dropped at his feet in a position which could have yielded a goal but for some determined blocking by the visitors' rearguard.

City fans must have accounted for almost half of an understandably sparse crowd and they were rewarded for their faith by Cooke's winner mid-way through the half. Beautifully found by Michael Brown's pass after Burnley's midfield had left the ball for each other, Cooke turned and unleashed an instant effort that dipped into the far corner either by unerring design or good fortune depending on whether he went for glory or for a non-existent colleague in the box.

Either way, it was enough to keep City's winning habit intact as, despite saving the best for last, Burnley couldn't level the scores on the night.

Substitute Stephen Grant showed some nice touches during his run-out and only a finger-tip save from Nicky Weaver in the final minute prevented Grant from claiming his first senior Burnley goal.

And from the ensuing corner Jepson's header was nodded off the line by Bishop.

Burnley should know by now that nothing goes their way against City.

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