Wycombe Wanderers 2 Burnley 1 - Pete Oliver's big match verdict
ALL GOOD things come to an end and Burnley's run of five straight wins duly ground to a halt at one of their least favourite venues.
But rather than another dose of the away-day blues that have blighted much of their season, this was more a case of missed opportunities.
Make no mistake, the outcome was hugely disappointing. But that feeling was due more to what Burnley did do rather than what they didn't, and also to the fact that expectations have been raised to new heights in recent weeks as the Clarets have clawed their way free of the relegation zone.
This defeat, their third in as many visits to Adams Park, hardy looked likely after 45 minutes.
And although it has slowed Burnley's momentum it should not trigger off a return to troubled waters - provided they repeat their first half showing and not much of the second in the successive home games league games they have coming up against Brentford and Wrexham.
The Clarets played some excellent football in a free-flowing first period but crucially failed to turn promise into something more tangible.
Even the fact that they fell behind to Steve Brown's well executed opener did not seem unduly worrying given the way Burnley had fought back at Preston a week earlier and the way that Andy Payton was tearing huge holes in the home defence. However, the comeback didn't materialise after the break until it was too late with Wycombe two up and three minutes from victory.
Nevertheless, Andy Cooke's 14th goal of the season sent some hearts fluttering and raised the temperature still further on a day more akin to the first or last month of the season and not mid-February.
Cooke's goal followed a free-kick into the penalty area from Damian Matthew which only served to highlight Burnley's shortcomings in the second half as the width disappeared from their game and they made life too easy for Wycombe's three central defenders.
When they were at their best, Chris Waddle's men switched the play superbly with Matthew often the fulcrum in midfield.
Glen Little and Chris Brass caused all sorts of damage down the right flank and gaps opened up for Payton to exploit.
The striker showed no ill effects from a troublesome back injury and his early run and shot set the tone, Martin Taylor fumbling the effort round the post.
Wycombe have found goals and wins hard to come by of late but the return of Keith Scott alongside Mark Stallard gave their attack a greater cutting edge and with Steve McGavin supporting the front two, they were also lively in attack.
It took a sensational piece of defending from Mark Winstanley to stop Stallard giving Wanderers the lead but it was Burnley who were creating the best chances and mid-way through the half, Payton blasted wide from another Little cross.
The best chance of the contest then fell to the livewire Payton but as he raced through the middle, Taylor went full length to turn his low shot away.
And six minutes later Wycombe took the lead somewhat against the run of play. McGavin was the orchestrator with a lovely turn and run and when a one-two with Stallard left Brown in the clear he made no mistake in beating Marlon Beresford from 12 yards. Burnley's response was rapid but without luck and the turning point arguably came when Little, set up by another clever piece of Payton play, smacked a slightly deflected 30-yarder against the crossbar with Taylor beaten.
Cooke could not direct the rebound goalward and instead of going in deservedly level and with a platform to build on, they instead conceded ground to Wycombe.
The home side took a grip in midfield and strangled some of the life out of the Burnley side after the re-start and it took a thumping challenge from Neil Moore to stop Brown in his tracks.
Mark Robertson then twice lost possession in the middle of the park and although Beresford saved well from Scott and Jason Cousins, Wycombe went 2-0 ahead from the corner arising from the second effort.
Paul McCarthy was given the space to power in a header and although the ball hit a couple of bodies in front of goal, it had enough pace to earn Wycombe some breathing space.
Burnley had lost their early sparkle going forward and Little had to switch flanks to find some freedom, which he did to great effect with one cross which caused alarm in the Wycombe defence.
Waddle switched to a 4-3-3 formation to stretch the home side at the back and the move almost paid dividends when substitute Kevin Henderson whipped in a cross which reached Winstanley beyond the far post but his volley went just over the top. With seven minutes to go that looked like the last chance for the Clarets until Winstanley again got in a useful position. This time his header from Matthew's free-kick had the necessary accuracy and although it didn't cross the line after hitting the bar, Cooke was on hand to force the ball home.
Cooke had endured a frustrating afternoon but with Burnley sensing a possible escape he was only inches away from an equaliser when Little got free again to deliver the kind of cross that had gone missing for the crucial phase of the game.
It was all Burnley now and when they won a corner in injury time a repeat of last week's thrilling finale at Preston was on the cards. Waddle even threw on Steve Blatherwick to use his extra height but his tilt at glory was stopped by the referee who spotted an infringement and brought the curtain down on the Clarets' winning run.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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