THE wait goes on but the tide is definitely starting to turn in our favour.
For the second time in successive games the cruel, late equaliser was greeted with the kind of celebrations from the away fans usually reserved for Champions League finals.
From the moment Scott Arfield played a blind short back pass straight into the path of the otherwise quiet Jordan Rhodes, I think every Burnley fan knew the outcome.
Quite what Michael Duff was doing firing the ball towards Rhodes I’ll never know and when the ball looped over Tom Heaton and into the back of the Burnley net we got that familiar sinking feeling.
As ridiculous as Arfield’s backpass – and Duff’s attempted clearance – were it would be unfair for that to take away from what, for the most part, was a very good team performance.
When substitute Junior Stanislas drove home after an exquisite one-two with Danny Ings, I genuinely couldn’t see any other result than a Claret win.
It may have been against the second half run of play but it was no less than Burnley deserved after a superb first half in which we dominated in almost every area of the pitch.
We had the best of the possession and with a stroke of luck – something we have been missing in recent East Lancashire derbies – we could have gone into the break ahead.
Jake Kean almost handed the Clarets the lead when he smashed a clearance against the impressive Sam Vokes but the ball, somewhat typically, spun wide of the target.
The Rovers stopper also had to be alert to parry away efforts from Arfield and Danny Ings while Tommy Spurr was also lucky to see his deflection spin onto the top of the net.
Even after the equaliser Rovers had one last trick up their sleeve to deny the Clarets that all-important first win in 34 years.
With acres of pitch in front of him after collecting a clearance from a corner it looked certain that Ings would swallow up the turf and slot home the injury time winner.
But sub Lee Williamson had other ideas and cynically felled Ings just inside the Rovers half and bring the attack to an abrupt end.
Referee Craig Pawson had little option but to dismiss Williamson but that was no comfort to the Clarets and the chance of a win we have craved for years was gone.
I’m honest enough to admit that I’d have done the same thing if I were in Williamson’s boots but it didn’t make it any easier to take.
What we can take from the game is that the win is surely coming.
And if we get it in March at Ewood Park it will be all the sweeter after the late pain of Saturday!
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