Blackpool 2 Burnley 1 - Tony Dewhurst's big match verdict

ANGRY Glenn Roeder launched a scathing attack on referee John Brandwood after Burnley left Bloomfield Road nursing their wounds.

Roeder was incensed after schoolmaster Brandwood waved away TWO clear penalty claims and then awarded a controversial corner kick that led to Phil Clarkson's leveller.

The Clarets assistant manager spent a full 10 minutes with the under-fire match officials, seeking an explanation.

And manager Chris Waddle was so angry he refused to attend the post-match press conference.

Waddle stormed: "If you want to know why Burnley didn't win this game, just ask the referee."

Roeder's rage boiled over after Paul Weller was sent flying by Blackpool goalkeeper Steve Banks - with Burnley leading 1-0 and clearly in the driving seat.

In my book that was a clear-cut penalty and Burnley had every right to question what was clearly an awful decision.

Then, five minutes from time, Northern Ireland international James Quinn appeared to punch away a Gerry Creaney cross.

Roeder raged: "Games do rest on referee's decisions and he got all three decisions badly wrong. He definitely cost us at least a point.

"There was no doubt in my mind that Weller got to the ball first and was leaving Banks when he was brought down.

"It was a classic penalty but the referee thought it was a block tackle.

"He must have been the only man inside the stadium who thought that. "Even the Blackpool fans behind the goal thought it was a penalty! You could see it by their reactions.

"Then, just to make things worse a couple of minutes before half-time, he clearly pointed for a goal kick and then goes with his linesman who flags for a corner.

"He is the referee, he has the whistle. He clearly believed it was a goal kick. So why did he change his mind?

"Blackpool scored because of it and that decision changed the whole course of the game."

Burnley made a splendid start, forging ahead with their first genuine attack.

A glorious crossfield ball from Waddle sent Weller free on the left flank.

Weller fed Chris Vinnicombe, who swung in a tempting centre across the face of the Blackpool goal.

There appeared no danger to the Seasiders', but Banks and Tony Butler got in a terrible flap and Gerry Creaney, unchecked on the edge of the six-yard box, nipped in to direct the ball home.

It marked Creaney's eighth League goal since arriving from Manchester City on loan in mid-September.

Now surely the Burnley board of directors must do everything in their power to try and raise the cash to bring him to Turf Moor on a full-time basis.

He is a class act at this level of the game and offers Burnley so many more options.

Creaney's goal, though, was just what this spicy derby contest required after a tentative start.

Yet it was Blackpool who began to get the upper hand after Weller was denied a cast-iron penalty seven minutes after the Creaney strike.

Though when Blackpool did attack in numbers, the central defensive partnership of Lee Howey and Neil Moore looked more than a match for the Blackpool strikeforce. Their timing in the tackle proved impeccable as first Howey intercepted a Quinn cross before forcing his giant frame behind a full-blooded Tony Ellis effort.

Then, as Blackpool turned up the heat, Moore denied Clarkson with a mean tackle.

But Blackpool made the breakthrough four minutes before half-time - and this time Clarkson could not be denied.

The Burnley players surrounded the referee after Mr Brandwood backtracked on his decision to award Burnley a goal kick and allowing his linesman, flagging furiously for a corner, to win the day.

It cost Burnley dear as Preece swung in a centre from Blackpool's short corner and Clarkson headed home from close range.

Clarkson's goal proved the catalyst for Blackpool as Preece - once a Burnley target - spearheaded a second-half onslaught which led to his 75th minute winner.

With Burnley defending deeper and deeper, Preece set the tone, thumping a fierce shot against the base of the Burnley post.

Preece and Ellis tested Beresford with long range efforts, but just as Burnley appeared to have weathered the storm, Blackpool grabbed the points.

Tony Ellis delivered a searching centre and, as Howey misjudged the bounce on the rain-sodden pitch, Preece stole in to bury a header.

It was cruel luck on the Clarets who should have found a route back into the contest seven minutes later as Quinn punched away Creaney's cross - in full view of the referee.

"He (the referee) admitted it was a handball. The lad (Quinn) quite clearly punched it," added Roeder.

"The referee thought it was unintentional and I find that quite unbelievable. We felt very hard done by and we were very unfortunate not to get something from the match. It just wasn't our day."

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