Clarets

AFTER watching Burnley lose 3-1 at York, I would like to know what was said to the players at half-time.

In the first half the players worked hard for each other.

Burnley attacked and the defence coped well with the few York attacks.

At half-time we settled back and hoped for more of the same. Far from it!

Burnley came out for the second half with a different attitude.

Whether they were told to sit back and protect their first half lead, I don't know. They never got going at all.

What stood out most of all was the lack of interest from the midfield players. Unlike the first half when they lost the ball they just walked. This left the defence under constant pressure and provided no service for the front players. Chris Waddle says he is looking for a striker but the problem stems from midfield.

It was ominous that by the end the fans were calling for Gerry Harrison. He is a player they feel at least gives 90 minutes of commitment not just 45.

Gerard Delaney, Ighten Road, Burnley

WHAT I can't understand is why the manager insists on playing our best two forwards, Eyres and Weller, as full backs. When is he going to learn something that the Burnley fans have been putting up with for the last six games? Lets hope he gets it right soon.

Tony Lofthouse, Brown Street East, Colne

IT was disheartening to hear Clarets fans at the York game calling Chris Waddle and saying they wanted him out. I have every confidence in Mr Waddle and his men. And it is about time people got behind him.

Neil Shaw, Somerset Grove, Church

CHRIS Waddle has given everybody in the squad a chance and not come up trumps. Eyres and Weller have to get further forward. It was all too evident against York. They just didn't get forward enough. They did it once and we scored.

So come on Chris Waddle, let's give Gentile and Harrison a chance. Harrison is a 110 per cent lad and deserves a chance.

David Parry, Colne Road, Burnley

THE second half performance was poor. Unless we sign a top class striker soon we will be facing trips to Torquay and Doncaster next season as opposed to Maine Road and Molineux which most fans expected on Waddle's arrival.

John Wright, Whitercroft Drive, Barrowford

ONCE again we returned to York, scene of our triumphant escape from Division Four. How ironic that five years later we are still at the bottom of the old Division Three.

Is this what we foresaw back then? Well Saturday saw ecstasy turn to despair as we watched the type of play that we well remember from those Fourth Division days.

It was negative defensive football which gave chances to York while we created none for ourselves. It's so disappointing. Last week we watched the side create chances against Oldham and then 10 days later we saw a winning side give the game away.

Katherine Scott, Nutter Road, Accrington

ROVERS

I THOUGHT Rovers played well in the 4-3 defeat by Leeds.

But Bohinen is not the answer. We missed Billy McKinlay. We needed someone to win the ball and Bohinen, though a good footballer, is not a tackler.

I felt Jeff Kenna was the best of the back four. The referee didn't lend anything to this game. At the prices we play for football, we deserve better than this. And to send the Leeds player off was rubbish.

Arthur Finch, Tower Way, Blackburn

I WAS very disappointed with the refereeing display of Mr Dunn against Leeds. Isn't it time for the FA to look to employing professional referees who are physically fit and able to keep up with the game? It spoiled a really exciting game. Lee Fowler, New Wellington Close, Blackburn

I DON'T know whether Mr Dunn (referee Rovers v Leeds) was overawed by the fact that the game was being screened live but he certainly didn't do himself any favours with his general lack of control of the game.

George Graham did the ref a favour when he replaced Rob Molenaar at half-time because I'm not sure Mr Dunn would have had the courage to produce the second yellow card for him.

The penalty he gave was a joke and that certainly affected his decisions that followed.

It's not easy to see incidents from pitch level when referees are watching the action through a number of bodies, but that's really no excuse.

The linesman did have a clear view of all incidents. So why wasn't assistance offered?

Tony Emmott, Willow Park, Oswaldtwistle.

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