csconstantine.com

{ 9:38am Tuesday 22nd February 2011

BURNLEY rued a second-half collapse as they bowed out of the FA Cup with a 5-1 fifth round defeat at West Ham.

But manager Eddie Howe is determined to focus on the positives as they bid to keep their top six Championship push on track.

The Clarets were proving more than a match for the Premier League strugglers, who named a strong line-up despite their relegation battle and having already reached the Carling Cup semi-final last month.

FROM BACK PAGE Howe counted his players unlucky to fall behind to Thomas Hitzlsperger’s strike in the 23rd minute but went into the second half with confidence after a bright end to the first.

However, the game took an unexpected twist as Carlton Cole made it 3-0 by the 50th minute.

Winston Reid and Freddie Sears made it more comfortable for the Hammers, either side of Jay Rodriguez’s consolation goal.

“I thought it could have been very different,” said Howe.

“In the first half I thought we were excellent and very unfortunate to go in one down at the break.

“We had a bad start to the second half, there’s no denying that.

“Defensively we looked a little shaky and West Ham punished us.

“But I thought there were a lot of positives to take from the game, a few things we need to work on, but the result could have been very different.

“If we could have got the first goal it goes without saying it could have made all the difference.

“We had a really good spell where we were keeping the ball and creating chances, the ball just didn’t fall for us in the box at times and their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves.

“But at the start of the second half the game was over.

“Once you go 3-0 down you’ve got to try to chase the game and it’s very difficult.”

But as attentions turn to back to the Championship on Saturday, and a derby at relegation-threatened Preston, Howe will look to quickly put the disappointment of this cup exit to bed.

“There’s a lot to take,” he said.

“We know we’ve got a talented squad and we know the areas where we think we’re very strong and I think we proved that today.

“I thought we passed and moved the ball really well in the first half.

“The result sort of takes the gloss off that. We know there are areas we can improve. The second half was a disappointment in terms of our defending and we got a little frustrated.

“All in all we’ve had a good little run in the FA Cup and now our focus has to turn to the league.”

Add your comment

Register for a FREE Lancashire Telegraph account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.

Please register now or sign in below to continue.

Agences de presses

Labels: after, Burnley, focus, Lancashire, Telegraph

Thomas Hitzlsperger scored on his debut to start off a torrent of goals which saw Championship Burnley knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of West Ham.

Carlton Cole scored two in two minutes – the first being rather dubious - at the start of the second period which quickly took the wind out of the Burnley sails, who looked as if they could get back in to the game until that point.

Winston Reid made it four for the Hammers with a headed goal from a Hitzlsperger corner, a goal and an assist for the midfielder marking a successful first game for the east Londoners.

Jay Rodriguez pulled one back for the Clarets, but it was too little too late as Burnley crashed out of the cup.

Freddie Sears made it 5-1 to the Hammers, capping off a night that Burnley would rather soon forget.

Cole made a storming run down the right wing just after the five minute mark and put in a cross which found Germany international Hitzlsperger in the Burnley penalty, who scuffed his attempt which was easily collected by Lee Grant.

Scott Parker has the next attempt on goal, finding himself in possession a yard outside of the Claret’s 18-yard box. Under pressure from Chris Eagles, the Hammers captain missed his mark by some distance.

Rodriguez had Burnley’s first shot on goal, taking a looping shot close in to the West Ham goal after some poor defending from Winston Reid – who failed to make safe the football – and forcing Rob Green to tip the ball over the cross bar.

Ross Wallace managed to turn Wayne Bridge on the edge of West Ham’s area and thundered a low shot which Green parried well. Mere seconds later Green’s reaction saved the Hammers again, scrambling the follow up away – though the assistant referee’s had all ready flagged for offside.

The Clarets then enjoyed a spell of dominance until a wonder strike from Hitzlsperger saw the Hammers go 1-0 up. West Ham were content to sit back and play counter-attacking football, using the pace of their front men to catch Burnley on the break. Scott Parker slid a simple pass through to ‘Der Hammer’, who hit the ball from 20 yards out – beating Grant in the Burnley goal who got a hand to it, but could do little to stop the net from rippling.

Eagles then had a chance to level the game for the Clarets with just over ten minutes remaining in the first half with a strike from distance of his own. He was put in by Daniel Fox in the D on the outskirts of the West Ham area and drove a low shot directly at Green, who failed to hold the ball – luckily for the Hammers there were no Burnley players in the box for the follow up.

Wallace put a ball into the channel on the right wing for Burnley, Tyrone Mears got on the end of it and managed to put a dangerous drilled ball across the home team’s six-yard box which was hastily cleared, seemingly by both of the West Ham centre halves.

The first half ended with a higher tempo West Ham. Fred Sears in possession was held up by Fox down Burnley’s left flank, and passed to Lars Jacobsen before finding himself some space just inside of the Claret’s area, but screwed a low shot across the opposition goal which passed the wrong side of the post and out for a goal kick.

Cole put the Hammers 2-0 up just two minutes in to the second half. Cole received the ball in what appeared to be an offside position before losing control with his second touch. Grant got to the ball, but couldn’t hold and there were suspicions of handball by Cole, who went to ground alongside the ‘keeper, as he poked the ball into the net with his left foot.

And it was two in two minutes for Cole as he received a long ball from Noble. There was nothing dubious about this goal however as Cole controlled the ball well and calmly side footed a lobbed shot over Grant in the Burnley goal making it 3-0 to West Ham.

Eagles had Burnley’s first decent chance of the half, creating space for himself a yard out of the Hammers’ box but dragging the shot wide to the left of Green’s goal.

The game was quickly turning into a rout and just before the 60 minute mark as Reid nodded home through the arms of Grant in the Burnley goal from a Hitzlsperger corner.

It could have been five just two minutes later as Sears, who had drifted in to a more central position than he had been previously playing in to set up Demba Ba who had gone wide on the right. Ba took a touch in to the Claret’s area and blasted a shot along the ground which Grant managed to get his finger tips to and out for a corner.

When Hitzlsperger left the field on 66 minutes he received a standing ovation after scoring the Hammers’ opening goal on the night of his debut, having been sideline since the summer due to picking up an injury in a pre-season international friendly.

Confusion between Bridge and Green saw Burnley awarded a consolation in the 70th minute. Bridge failed to clear a ball rolling parallel to the dead ball line and Green’s clearance rebounded off of Tyrone Mears at point blank range, leaving the ball to be nodded in by Rodriguez two yards out into an open goal.

Grant was called upon again with ten minutes left when Demba Ba, breaking into the Burnley box, took a shot on the half volley which the Claret’s keeper did well to turn over the bar.

It was made 5-1 by Fred Sears in the 92nd minute after picking up the ball from the feet of teammate Spector and making a run in to the Burnley box and blasting the ball to the left of Grant and in to the Burnley net, capping off an embarrassing evening for the Championship side.

West Ham will now be taking a trip to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke in the next round.

Follow Goal.com on to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's

Agences de presses

Labels: Burnley, debut, Goalcom, Hitzlsperger, LongAwaited, scores

{

Scottish striker Thompson is due to go under the surgeon's knife next month to cure a groin problem.

But he forgot his injury worries after replacing Jay Rodriguez and wiped out Michael Chopra's opener with his 83rd-minute equaliser.

It was sweet revenge for the former Rangers man who was shown the door by the Bluebirds back in 2008.

Burnley boss Howe said: "Thommo is a happy man. He did well and is delighted to have scored against his old club.

"He took his goal well and it's a great reward for him because he's pushed himself through the pain barrier.

"It's a shame he's got this operation ? you can see how important he is to us. Steve's got an infection in his groin. It's not ideal for him. He could be out for two weeks or longer, it all depends on what the surgeons find.

"Losing him will be a big blow because his all-round game, professionalism and attitude have been first class."

Cardiff took the lead in first-half stoppage time through Chopra's close-range strike after Jay Bothroyd's cross caught the Burnley defence napping.

But Thompson netted his third goal of the season after replacing Jay Rodriguez.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones said: "We should have seen it out. We sat back too much and should have gone for the jugular."

Agences de presses

Labels: Burnley, Cardiff