Town 1-0 Burnley

Michael Chopra’s goal in the 54th minute saw the Blues to a 1-0 victory over Burnley, their fifth home win in a row. After an understated first half, Town dominated the second and in the end should have won more comfortably, despite having Grant Leadbitter red-carded in the closing moments.

Town made one change from the side which beat Peterborough 3-2 on Saturday with Lee Bowyer taking over from Andy Drury in the centre of midfield. Josh Carson was on the bench, the first time the Northern Irishman had been in the 16 since January, with Jason Scotland dropping out.

Burnley were able to call on star striker Jay Rodriguez, who was over his groin injury, while another former Town target Charlie Austin was also in their starting line-up.

The visitors had a lot of the ball in the early stages but couldn’t create an opening. The game’s first real chance came on seven when Daryl Murphy sent in a superb cross from the left touchline but Michael Chopra couldn’t get the ball under control at the far post.

Lee Martin almost played in Murphy on 11 but Clarets keeper Lee Grant was off his line quickly to claim. Two minutes later, Martin himself screwed a shot well wide after being found in space in the penalty area with the Blues providing the greater threat, although with the away side having more of the possession, Town often having given the ball away too cheaply.

Burnley danger man Rodriguez looked to have escaped behind the Town defence on 20 but fortunately for the Blues a linesman’s flag was raised.

There was a scare for Town in the 23rd minute when Rodriguez chased on to a ball over the top but McCarthy was out quickly to gather. The Clarets frontman caught the Blues keeper with a studs-up challenge in the midriff which could have yielded a card of either colour but went unpunished. Fortunately it was Rodriguez who suffered most, undergoing treatment before continuing.

Burnley right-back Kieran Trippier might have done better when cutting in and hitting a shot into the sidenetting in the 26th minute, a low ball across the box perhaps having been a wiser option.

Bowyer picked up the game’s first yellow card on the half hour for a foul on Junior Stanislas midway inside the Blues half. From the subsequent freekick, Daniel Lafferty headed Trippier’s ball into the box over with the Clarets on top and looking much the more likely scorers.

However, the Blues went within inches of going in front in the 35th minute when Martin crossed from the left and Bowyer forced Grant to tip over superbly with a header from six yards.

Two minutes later, Murphy sent a dangerous ball in from the left which was stabbed behind by David Edgar just ahead of Chopra. From the resultant corner, Clarets skipper Chris McCann headed over in front of Murphy. The Irishman flicked a subsequent flagkick wide with the Blues beginning to get on top.

Town ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 44th minute when Bowyer was bundled over by Marvin Bartley as he ran in as Martin crossed from the right. The loose ball eventually fell to Murphy, who shot over, referee James Linington showing no inclination to point to the spot.

The scoreline was probably just about fair at the end of what had been a fairly low-key first half. Burnley had played most of the better football but Town, who had come into it more as the game progressed, had had the best chances with the penalty claim appearing to be a decent one.

The Blues were the first to threaten in the second half, Leadbitter hitting a well-choreographed freekick involving Bowyer and Emmanuel-Thomas which Grant couldn’t hold on to. The loose ball fell to Edwards but the Trinidadian’s chipped cross was far too deep. Moments later, Emmanuel-Thomas lashed a powerful strike across the face of goal.

Town’s bright start to the second period was rewarded in the 54th minute when they went in front. Martin was given the ball by Bartley midway inside the Burnley half and took it into the box before hitting a shot which Grant saved. Bowyer looked to get on to the loose ball, however, Michael Duff’s tackle took it away from him but only to Chopra, who slammed in his 14th goal of the season.

Two minutes later, Emmanuel-Thomas cut in from the right and unleashed another of his trademark power-strikes which flew only narrowly wide of Grant’s right post.

Murphy nodded a 61st minute Emmanuel-Thomas corner just wide with Chopra looking to add a final touch, Burnley already having made all three of their subs.

The Blues went close to a second in the 67th minute when Leadbitter found Emmanuel-Thomas with an inch-perfect cross-field pass before breaking forward into the area and volleying the ex-Arsenal man’s cross towards goal. Fortunately for the visitors, Trippier blocked on the line.

Damien Delaney played an excellent ball over the top for Chopra in the 74th minute but the Town striker’s first touch let him down and the ball ran to Grant.

Burnley were still to hit a shot in the second half – and were yet to manage an effort on target all game - and a second goal for the Blues looked likely to kill the game off. On 77 Aaron Cresswell bravely chested a cross from the left-back to McCarthy only just ahead of sub Ross Wallace.

The Blues continued to look for that second goal, Leadbitter hammering a low 25-yard strike which flicked a defender and went wide.

The resultant corner was eventually played to Cresswell by Edwards, the left-back hitting a shot which Grant couldn’t hold on to. Chopra was first to the rebound but he hit the keeper with his snapshot.

Town continued to force corners and Murphy hit another strike which Grant saved after Emmanuel-Thomas had laid the ball back to him on the Blues’ right.

Leadbitter was booked for a foul on Bartley as the game moved into injury time with the visitors still to manage a shot on target. Their first off-target strike of the half came moments later from Junior Stanislas but troubling only those in the South Stand.

In the third minute of injury time Leadbitter was shown a second yellow and then a red card for kicking the ball away as the Blues looked to take a freekick. Ibrahima Sonko replaced Michael Chopra as Leadbitter made his way to the tunnel and moments later the final whistle was blown.

Town had been much the better side in a second half which had been almost entirely one-way traffic. Burnley, who beat Town so comfortably at Turf Moor, hardly threatened at all in the entire 90 minutes, despite having a lot of the ball in the first half, and in the end it ought to have been more than 1-0 to the Blues.

The Blues’ fifth home win in a row – their best run since a streak of eight at the start of 2007/08 – sees them up to 14th and only nine points from the play-offs.

Town: McCarthy, Edwards, Smith, Delaney, Cresswell, Bowyer, Leadbitter, Emmanuel-Thomas, Martin, Murphy, Chopra (Sonko 90). Subs: Lee-Barrett, Drury, Stevenson, Carson.

Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Duff, Edgar, Lafferty (Mee 53), McCann, Marney (Wallace 59), Bartley, Stanislas, Rodriguez, Austin (Paterson 59). Subs: McQuoid, Jensen. Referee: James Linington (Newport IoW). Att: 16,564 (Burnley: 211)

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