Under-23s set for first home league game in five years
Burnley’s under-23 team, having lost the opening Professional Development League game of the season at Crystal Palace last week, will play their first home game of the season this afternoon against Ipswich Town.
The club had originally confirmed that the game would be played at Turf Moor but with the proviso that it would have to be moved elsewhere should we receive a home tie in the League Cup. We received an away tie but the club have still moved the game. It will now go ahead this afternoon at Gawthorpe with the club confirming that our first home league game for what is, in effect, the reserve team, since 2012 will be played behind closed doors.
That’s hugely disappointing for those supporters who enjoy watching these games and I’m aware of one supporter who has taken time off work to attend and couldn’t reverse that given the venue change was only confirmed four days ago.
That last game in 2012 ended in a 3-1 win against Macclesfield. The final goal was an own goal but Wes Fletcher and Joe Jackson had scored previously in the game.
There is no team news as yet, but with the League Cup tie on Wednesday it is unlikely again that any of the first team squad will be involved and I’d expect a similar squad to the one at Palace last week which was: Aidan Stone, Luke Hendrie, Oliver Younger, Scott Wilson, Ali Koiki, Nashé Chakwana, Christian N’Guessan, Rahis Nabi, Dwight McNeil, Jamie Thomas, Khius Metz. Subs: Connor King, Arlen Birch, Olatunde Bayode, Tommy Wood, Harry Limb.
Our opponents Ipswich got off to a winning start last Monday but they did it the hard way. Playing at home, they fell 2-0 down against Crewe but came back to win the game 3-2.
Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed theirs will be a young team too although he did say that Luke Hyam will feature having been hampered with a knee problem since pre-season. “Luke Hyam is playing in the under-23s at Burnley on Monday,” he said. “He wants that, he’s been out for a long time.”
Kick off time at Gawthorpe is 1 p.m.
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