Winning start for Duff
Two late goals secured an unlikely victory for the young Clarets tonight as the under-23s recorded a 2-0 win at Colne in a game that looked certain to be heading for a 0-0 draw to give Michael Duff a winning start in front of the spectators after Saturday’s 1-0 win behind closed doors against Barnoldswick Town.
Olatunde Bayode (pictured) fired home in the 83rd minute to give us the lead and that lead was doubled right at the end when Robbie Leitch hit home from close range, but it was anything but an easy night for a Burnley side who for long spells never looked likely to break the deadlock.
It was the same for a Colne side who never really threatened Conor Mitchell, other than one good save in the first half. The Northern Ireland under-21 international got down well to make a save to his left which was the only time either goalkeeper was called on in the first 45 minutes although Burnley should have done better with a couple of opportunities that came the way of Dwight McNeil and Bayode.
Once we’d seen off an early push from Colne in the second half, we started to look the more likely but it was still a surprise when that first goal went in to give us the lead and once in front there was little likelihood of Colne coming back.
It gave some of the players some match action, the whole purpose of pre-season games. Some of them will be involved with the first team on Saturday at Alfreton and Kidderminster with the under-23s returning to action as a team a week tonight at Witton Albion.
The teams were;
Colne: Hakan Burton, Waqas Azam, Lee Pugh, Alex Coleman, Mark Ayres, Phil Dean, Adam Morning, Chris Anderson, Danny Wilkins, Michael Fish, Michael Morrison. Subs: Kenny Taylor, Steve Cassidy, Simon Nangle, Chris Lynch, Jacob Gregory, Tom Hartley.
Burnley: Conor Mitchell, Luke Hendrie (Scott Wilson 70), Harry Flowers (Oliver Younger ht), Alex Whitmore (Flowers 70), Johan (Trialist), Olatunde Bayode (Robbie Leitch ht), Rahis Nabi (Christian N’Guessan 70), Mark Howarth (Jamie Thomas ht), Dwight McNeil (Ali Koiki ht), Tommy Wood (Bayode 70), Khius Metz (Nashé Chakwana ht). Sub not used: Aidan Stone.
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