Second league win for the under-23s
In front in just the third minute, it was the first minute of stoppage time before we finally secured all three points this evening against Reading at Leyland.
What a difference a couple of days make. Saturday saw us sat in the heat at Leicester; tonight it was time to get the coats out as the first real sign of winter arrived with the plunging temperatures, but the young Clarets soon warmed us up with a goal in just the third minute.
Playing towards the ‘Pilky End’, Ne-Jai Tucker played the ball in to Joe McGlynn (pictured) and the striker made no mistake with a smart shot past the Reading goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke and into the bottom corner.
Generally, we were the better side for much of the first half although chances were few and far between, but McGlynn did have a glorious chance to double the lead but seemed to be caught in two minds whether to shoot or move the ball across to Michael Mellon. In the end he opted to try and find Mellon but saw the pass intercepted.
It didn’t matter; within a minute we were two goals in front when Mellon, watched by his dad alongside two of his former team mates from around twenty years ago, looped the ball over the goalkeeper from yet another ball in from Tucker.
All looked good but we conceded a poor goal five minutes before half time when we allowed them to get a low ball in from the right which was finally converted by Mamadi Camara and that left us going in at half time with just a one goal lead.
Reading did have more of the play in the second half but rarely threatened to draw level, finding it difficult to get the better of Kevin Long, who got in another ninety minutes, and Bobby Thomas at the back but we neither did we offer too much threat.
That was until close to the end when McGlynn was played through. He was still some way from goal when he went down from a challenge by the Reading defender. Referee David Richardson had a good game, but I thought he got this one wrong. Had he given a foul he’d have had no option but to send off the Reading player.
He waved play on but had to finally stop the game so McGlynn could receive attention. The striker was unable to continue and in the first minute of stoppage time his replacement Sam Unwin took a ball forward from Max Thompson, who had also come on as a substitute, and finished smartly off the foot of the post to complete the scoring.
That was it, a second league win of a season which is now well and truly underway after starting with three defeats.
The teams were;
Burnley: Sam Waller, Finlay Armstrong, Kevin Long, Bobby Thomas, Anthony Glennon, Ne-Jai Tucker (Max Thompson 65), Anthony Gomez Mancini (Will Hugill ht), Mark Helm, Owen Dodgson, Joe McGlynn (Sam Unwin 88), Michael Mellon. Subs not used: Lewis Thomas, Jacob Bedeau.
Reading: Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Kelvin Abrefa (Michael Stickland ht), Louie Holzman, Tyrell Ashcroft, Lynford Sackey, Mamadi Camara, Ben Purcell (Ethan Bristow ht), Malachi Talent-Aryeetey, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (Vickers 73), Claudio Osorio, Jahmari Clarke. Sub not used: Harvey Collins.
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