Impressive a victory beat Tottenham 4-2, Burnley bade farewell to Premier League football

Burnley 4
Wade Elliott (42)
Martin Paterson (71)
Steve Thompson (88)
Jack Cork (54)

Tottenham Hotspur 2
Luka Modric (32)
Gareth Bale (3)

**Relegated Burnley bade farewell to Premier League football in style by coming from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-2 at Turf Moor.

Spurs started the game with a mathematical chance of pipping arch-rivals Arsenal to third place in the league table.

That was not to be, but a party atmosphere still prevailed among the travelling fans as defeat failed to take the gloss off their achievement of qualifying for the play-offs of the Champions League.

Spurs scored from their first attack, player-of-the-season Bale firing the ball into the net from ten yards out in only the second minute of play.

Aaron Lennon will have done his chances of making the England World Cup squad no harm by providing the cross which led to the goal.

Goal-scorer Bale showed off his passing skills in the 32nd minute, setting up Luka Modric who beat his marker with a Cristiano Ronaldo-style step-over before shooting past Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Relegated Burnley seemed determined that their Premier League swansong would end on a high note; midfielder Wade Elliot pulling a goal back in the 44th minute after good work from Steven Fletcher.

Lennon hit the post early in the second half before Burnley equalised in the 54th minute courtesy of a Jack Cork header from a Steven Thompson cross.

Tottenham defender Ledley King prevented the Clarets from scoring later when he made a last-ditch tackle as Thompson shaped to shoot. It is King's third game in nine days; proof that his injury-riddled knees could carry him through the World Cup should England call on his undoubted talent.

Burnley's Martin Paterson won't be starring in South Africa this summer, but he did help his club go 3-2 up in the 72nd minute by getting a vital touch to a Fletcher cross.

Thompson got in on the act in the 88th minute to secure the home side's victory, turning in a shot from Elliott.

As Spurs' thoughts turn to next season and the Champions League, Burnley must face life in the Championship. But their fans should always remember that they bowed out in style.

Squads :

Burnley : Brian Jensen, Steven Caldwell, Tyrone Mears, Andre Bikey, Danny Fox, Jack Cork, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Steven Fletcher, S (Steven Thompson, 86), Martin Paterson (Chris Eagles, 90), David Nugent (Robbie Blake, 79)

Tottenham Hotspur :Ben Alnwick, Gareth Bale, Younes Kaboul, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Tom Huddlestone (Wilson Palacios, 64), Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric, Peter Crouch (Eidur Gudjohnsen, 85), Jermain Defoe (Roman Pavlyuchenko, 63)

The captain Steven Gerrard gave inspiration with two goals to defeat a 4-0 Burnley

BURNLEY 0

LIVERPOOL 4
- Gerrard 52
- Gerrard 59
- Maxi 74
- Babel 90

**Two goals from captain Steven Gerrard, a first Liverpool strike for Maxi Rodriguez and a late effort from Ryan Babel relegated Burnley from the Barclays Premier League and kept alive the Merseysiders' distant hopes of finishing fourth.

Gerrard's first goal in the 51st minute was deflected off Burnley centre-back Leon Cort but his 25-yard strike seven minutes later was inch-perfect and Rodriguez and Babel wrapped things up.

The win, Liverpool's first in eight away league matches this year, kept Rafael Benitez's side in the hunt for next season's Champions League but only just.

Tottenham are two points ahead on 64, with a match in hand, and Liverpool must win their remaining two games and hope neither Spurs, Manchester City nor Aston Villa amass more than 68 points - and even then it could come down to goal difference.

Burnley, however, must now face up to a return to the second tier of English football, which has been on the cards ever since the departure of former manager Owen Coyle to Bolton in January.

By that time they were already on the slide but the loss of the inspirational Scot was a major blow and the decision to bring in Brian Laws failed to turn things around.

Whether anyone would have been able to save the Clarets on the shoestring budget and limited squad available is questionable.

But opting to employ Laws just a month after he had left Sheffield Wednesday having taken them to the brink of relegation from the Championship now seems, at best, a mis-judgment.

Laws has lost 14 of his 17 games in charge and the Clarets have won just seven games all season and not kept a clean sheet since Halloween.

At least the frugal nature of the sensible financial planning at Turf Moor means Burnley do not have the money worries of Hull, who are also doomed to relegation because of their dreadful goal difference.

Squads:

Burnley: Jensen; Mears, Duff, Cort, Fox; Paterson (Eagles 71), Cork, Alexander (Blake 64), Elliott, Nugent (Thompson 77); Fletcher

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Ayala, Carragher, Agger (Lucas 78); Rodríguez, Mascherano, Gerrard (Pachecho 82), Babel, Kuyt (Benayoun 48), Aquilani

Five goal in first half and Kompany completed score put City to fourth place in the Premier League

BURNLEY 1
- Fletcher, S 71

MANCHESTER CITY 6
- Adebayor 4,
- Bellamy 5,
- Tevez 7,
- Vieira 20,
- Adebayor 45,
- Kompany 58

**EMMANUEL Adebayor scored twice as Manchester City closed in on a Champions League slot in devastating style at Turf Moor.

City were 5-0 up by the break, with three goals coming in the space of three minutes. Adebayor scored in the fourth minute and added his second on half time. In between, Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez and Patrick Vieira also found the target. Vincent Kompany added a sixth in the 58th minute before Steven Fletcher got a goal back for Burnley, who look destined for relegation.

Team Line-Ups :

Burnley : 12 Jensen, Alexander, Duff, Mears, Cort, Fox, McDonald (Cork 46), Eagles, Fletcher (Paterson 80), Blake (Elliott 46), Nugent.

Manchester City : Given, Onuoha, Sylvinho (De Jong 67), Toure, Kompany, A Johnson, Barry, Vieira, Adebayor (Santa Cruz 79), Tevez (Nimely 83), Bellamy.

David Dunn scored the all important goal from the spot-kick

BURNLEY 0

BBLACKBURN ROVERS 1
- Dunn (pen) 20

**Burnley's survival hopes suffered a major blow after a David Dunn penalty handed local rivals Blackburn victory.

Dunn gave Rovers the lead from the spot in the first half after Martin Olsson was judged to have been brought down by goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Olsson also rattled the bar with a fierce drive while Jason Roberts headed wide from inside the six-yard area.

Burnley's Leon Cort volleyed a yard wide, while Wade Elliott failed to get a crucial touch on Danny Fox's cross.

With West Ham having lost again on Saturday to leave them in joint 17th with Hull, Burnley knew a win would have lifted them level on points with the Hammers and the Tigers, albeit with an inferior goal difference.

Victory in this Lancashire derby would also given Brian Laws' side is a psychological advantage in the fight to avoid the drop.

But like their fellow clarets, the Lancashire side have been in freefall for some time now - with only one win in 20 Premier League games.

Another telling statistic is that they had yet to win a league game this season after conceding the opening goal.

With 16 minutes gone, the omens did not look good.

Olsson, possibly Blackburn's best player, ran on to a ball in the area before he was ruled to have been taken down by Jensen.

Screams of protests followed from Burnley's players, but referee Mike Dean stood by his decision following a further consultation with his assistant, and Dunn sent Jensen the wrong way from the spot.

It was what Blackburn deserved having been on top during much of the first half.

Olsson, who was keen to support lone-man Jason Roberts in attack, had the ball in the net a shortly before the break but the effort was harshly ruled out for offside.

Spanish full-back Michel Salgado screwed his eight-yard effort wide and Roberts headed over from four yards when Christopher Samba was better placed behind him.

Burnley's problems in defence are known - 22 games without a clean sheet - but they have often relied on their attack to bail them out.

However, here their most potent players, David Nugent and Steven Fletcher, regularly drifted deep in order to act as catalysts for any attacks which explained why it was a defender, Cort, who had the best opportunity in the first half - a controlled volley that flew wide of the far post.

Laws' men began well after the interval without giving Blackburn shotstopper Jason Brown any palpitations. It was endeavour that lacked threat.

But it was at the other end that a second goal looked most likely to come - through the lively Olsson.

The 21-year-old Swede smashed a 20-yard shot off the underside of the bar before he stung the palms of Jensen with another cracking drive.

Burnley pressed again in the final 10 minutes and went agonisingly close to equalising when Danny Fox's fired in a low ball into the six-yard area that eluded the arriving Elliott and Fletcher.

Teams :

Burnley : Jensen, Alexander (Eagles 71), Duff, Mears, Cort, Jordan (Fox 43), McDonald, Elliott, Fletcher, Paterson (Blake 59), Nugent

Blackburn : Brown, Samba, Givet, Olsson, Salgado (Chimbonda 84), Jones, Dunn, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Roberts (Di Santo 74), Diouf (Emerton 65)

Hassen Yebda converted to give Portsmouth all three points.

BURNLEY 1
- Paterson 31

PORTSMOUTH 2
- Piquionne 25,
- Yebda (pen) 76

**A bad week ended with some relief for Portsmouth as they beat Burnley at Turf Moor. A Hassan Yebda penalty and Piquionne strike either side of a Martin Paterson goal was enough to sink the Clarets who now find themselves only one place above Pompey and deep in the relegation mire.

Portsmouth, now all but relegated thanks to the impending nine point deduction, were looking to take their mind off financial woes and give their fans some much needed relief. As for the home side, the game offered a possible three vital points as they have a relegation battle of their own to fight.

During a quiet start, it was Portsmouth who created the first real opening on ten minutes. Owusu-Abeyie through ball was interrupted by Leon Cort, but the ball fell kindly to Danny Webber but the striker could only drag his shot wide of Brian Jensen’s goal. Webber then flicked Nadir Belhadj's cross from the left into the net but strike was ruled out for offside.

The home side then had their first attack of the afternoon, as Martin Paterson raced down the wing and his cut-back cross was cut out by the fingers of David James. Minutes later Andre Bikey had a header then went just wide.

The deadlock was broken on the twenty-five minute mark, as Portsmouth who had looked slightly brighter of the two sides took the lead. Jamie O'Hara found Webber, who caught Burnley's defence flat-footed with a low ball to the far post, which was turned in by Frederic Piquionne.

The goal conceded seemed to spark the home side into life and they hit-back almost immediately. Brian Jensen's long kick was flicked on by Steven Fletcher and Martin Paterson hooked a stunning lob over James and into the net.

Burnley were now on top and went close to going in front, first through a Robbie Blake free-kick that just sailed over the bar and Wade Elliot had a shot saved by James from the edge of the area.

Five minutes before the break, Portsmouth were forced into a change as Owusu-Abeyie is replaced by John Utaka. Jamie O'Hara then hit a left-foot curler that pinged back off the bar, and Danny Fox cleared Danny Webber's shot on the line. However the teams went in at the break all-square.

Portsmouth once again came out the better team in the second half and should have taken the lead ten minutes in when they were awarded an penalty after Clark Carlisle brought down Piquionne. O’Hara stepped up to take the spot-kick but Jensen guesses right and saved the penalty.

Burnley then had a chance of their own to go ahead through Fletcher. But the Scottish star couldn’t direct his free header on target from Paterson’s right-wing cross. Brian Laws response was to bring on Jack Cork and Chris Eagles for Bikey and Elliot.

Burnley were now firmly on top and went close again when Danny Fox’s shot long-range shot dipped just past the post.

The winner came though with twelve minutes to play with another Portsmouth penalty. Carlisle again the guilty party bringing down Utaka this time and Hassen Yebda converted to give Portsmouth all three points.

Ricardo Rocha was sent off in injury time for Pompey but they held on for the result and heaped even more pressure on Burnley and Brian Laws.
Burnley boss Brian Law brought Martin Paterson in for his first league start since September in the absence of the ineligible David Nugent, while Robbie Blake and Wade Elliott also returned to the starting XI, but there was no place for Graham Alexander who has failed to shake off a calf strain. Portsmouth made two changes at the end of a week in which they officially entered administration, Ricardo Rocha and Danny Webber were drafted in at the expense of Papa Boupa Diop and Aruna Dindane.

Team Line-ups:

Burnley : Brian Jensen, Clarke Carlisle, Tyrone Mears, Leon Cort, Andre Bikey (Jack Cork, 63), Danny Fox, Kevin McDonald, Wade Elliott (Chris Eagles, 63), Steven Fletcher, S, Martin Paterson, Robbie Blake (Steven Thompson, 79)

Portsmouth : David James, Ricardo Rocha, Hermann Hreidarsson, Steve Finnan, Nadir Belhadj, Jamie O'Hara (Michael Brown, 90), Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (John Utaka, 39), Hassan Yebda, Marc Wilson, Frederic Piquionne, Danny Webber (Papa Bouba Diop, 90)


Source : www.goal.com