CLARETS: Coca choker leaves Waddle with colossal task

UNDER-PRESSURE Chris Waddle faces an immense task to re-build Burnley.

But the Clarets player-manager is more unwavering in his belief than ever to tough it out at Turf Moor.

How much can be achieved over the coming months remains to be seen, but a second half annihilation at the hands of Stoke City accentuated the colossal job which faces the new management team as they get to grips with their Turf Moor mission.

Last night's result means Burnley, short of a minor miracle at the Britannia Stadium a week today, are already down and out before the second leg kicks-off in anger.

And that is another despairing jolt for the Burnley fans who have seen their side stagger from pillar to post since the big kick-off five weeks ago.

However, an impending Coca-Cola Cup exit is likely to be the least of Waddle's considerations today as he returned to the drawing board to prepare for his biggest game as manager - against Lancashire rivals Preston North End in three days time.

Waddle needs some results to lift the morale of the club, players and fans and, most importantly of all, just to get the season up and running. That is the bottom line. From a Press Box point of view it is always the easy option to be destructive rather than constructive in defeat.

That is particularly the case when a team and a new manager are labouring to their find their collective feet.

But let's take the positive first. For 35 minutes Burnley turned in a display which must have lifted the spirit of both Waddle and the Turf Moor fans.

The second half, it has to be said, was a shambles from start to finish.

For half an hour, though, this was Burnley's most agreeable performance under the player-manager.

"Until Stoke scored Burnley were as bright a team as I've seen this season," commented my colleague from the Stoke evening newspaper before the roof fell in.

Burnley were uplifting and constructive. The shape and formation was pleasing to the eye, their approach play inventive and, for the first time this season, they carved out genuine chances in front of goal.

Stoke, in fact, could count themselves a little fortunate to survive as Burnley's luck again completely deserted them.

Five times Burnley have hit the woodwork this season - twice in 15 seconds against Oldham - and again the post denied Burnley an opener.

It was wretched luck as Paul Barnes swept over a real beauty of a cross for Mark Ford to fire a downward header against the base of the post. Lee Howey, playing a role as emergency striker in the absence of the injured Andy Cooke, was holding the ball up well and getting into quality positions inside the Stoke penalty box.

A Paul Weller cross provided Howey with the opportunity to test Carl Muggleton before Howey went close again with a stinging header.

But then Stoke cranked up a couple of gears and it was thank-you and goodnight. Burnley were left chasing the evening shadows as Stoke built up an almost impregnable first leg lead.

There was no halting the First Division side from the moment they forged ahead with the first of two super goals from ex-Blackburn Rovers striker Peter Thorne.

The slick centre-forward seems to enjoy the Turf Moor environment.

He fired scored twice for Swindon Town in the 1994-95 season as Burnley slid back to the Second Division after just nine months in the Nationwide League top flight.

And again he was on the mark as Thorne swept home his third goal of the season, converting an opportunist strike following a scintillating three-man move involving Richard Forsyth, Graham Kavanagh and Ray Wallace.

Burnley's midfield was stripped bare by Stoke's hard-running and the defence, already under severe pressure, could not stem the tide. Certainly the gulf in class between the two divisions was beginning to show and it was no real shock when Stoke struck again.

Marauding defender Mark Griffin was allowed to operate almost unchallenged and his cross was met by Thorne for his second of the tie.

Burnley simply could not cope against a Stoke side, not only physically and more robust, but so much better organised in their approach.

Then two Stoke goals in the final 22 minutes put the cap on a desperate result for the Clarets.

Graham Kavanagh, Stoke's man-of-the-match, simply powered home an unstoppable 25-yarder into Marlon Beresford's top corner after finding himself completely unmarked.

Kavanagh then completed the rout, converting Kevin Keen's cross with Burnley on the canvas and with no hope of a late recovery.

Burnley fans must hope that Waddle and assistant Glenn Roeder can find the right blend soon, otherwise the winter months are going to be testing times indeed at Turf Moor.

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