Under Vincent Kompany, it took until December 23 for Burnley to reach 10 points. Under Scott Parker, they’ve done it in nine games.
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Scott Parker's verdict on Burnley's late Wolves win and 'harsh' penalty call](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/scott-parkers-verdict-on-burnleys-late-wolves-win-and-harsh-penalty-call-5375677 "Scott Parker's verdict on Burnley's late Wolves win and 'harsh' penalty call")
I’m not prone to making hyperbolic statements, but even at this early juncture in the season, this game felt massive.
Facing the league’s bottom side, who are winless and in all worlds of strife on and off the pitch, the timing felt right for the Clarets to break their away duck.
It’s hard to be too critical of Burnley’s away form prior to this trip to Molineux. While the stats speak for themselves, losing all four of their games on the road, the fixture computer has been far from kind, throwing up clashes away at Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
With Wolves yet to win, and coming off the back of that hard-fought three points against Leeds United, you felt this would be as big an opportunity as you get in the Premier League – for a newly-promoted side, anyway – to record back-to-back wins, something Burnley hadn’t done in the top flight since April 2022.
The tetchy, antagonistic atmosphere inside Molineux also made for the perfect backdrop for a smash and grab display. To put it simply and a little crudely, Wolves were there for the taking.
For the first 42 minutes, things couldn’t have gone much better for Burnley. It was an almost near-perfect first half.
Burnley players celebrate the victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Burnley players celebrate the victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
Last week it was the French connection that paid dividends against Leeds, this time the Dutch came up trumps as Quilindschy Hartman and Zian Flemming combined for the two goals.
For Flemming, the brace were his first Premier League goals, and his first was of Robin van Persie-esque proportions. The second, meanwhile, was a far more opportunistic strike in the six-yard box, which in a peculiar way was almost more satisfying.
But with Burnley in dreamland, Scott Parker’s side were suddenly given a rude awakening by one blow of the referee’s whistle.
Shell-shocked
Burnley celebrate Lyle Foster's last-gasp winner (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)placeholder image
Burnley celebrate Lyle Foster's last-gasp winner (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
At first viewing, it looked soft. On second viewing, it’s still difficult to see what exactly happened.
There were no great appeals from players nor Wolves supporters. In fact, a quiet hush fell over Molineux as those in attendance frantically tried to work out what decision Tony Harrington had made.
Josh Cullen was the man harshly penalised, adjudged to have missed the ball and struck the bottom of Santiago Bueno’s boot. Replays aren’t the most conclusive, but on every viewing it still looks incredibly harsh.
Jorgen Strand Larsen sent Martin Dubravka the wrong way from the resulting penalty and, as a result, the whole dynamic of the game changed.
Zian Flemming celebrates his brace with teammate Axel Tuanzebe (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)placeholder image
Zian Flemming celebrates his brace with teammate Axel Tuanzebe (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
All of a sudden, the home fans were on board. Wolves’ players were roared forward as the atmosphere notched up a couple of decibels.
Four minutes into stoppage-time, the hosts were level. While Burnley can have genuine grievances with the first goal, they ought to look at themselves for the second, which came about as a result of some uncharacteristically poor defending.
Firstly, Cullen failed to get close enough to Strand Larsen, who hooked the ball towards the back post where Marshall Munetsi had been allowed to drift off the back of Maxime Esteve to nod home.
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Burnley were left shell-shocked. What would have been a fairly straight-forward half-time team talk all of a sudden became a hugely challenging one, as Parker sought a way to compose his players for a crucial second-half.
To their huge credit, the Clarets started the second period the better side. They forced some good openings and got into the final third fairly regularly, but were unable to find a way through.
Scott Parker thanks the Burnley fans at full time following the 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Scott Parker thanks the Burnley fans at full time following the 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
The longer the second-half wore on, Burnley’s attacking threat gradually decreased – to the point where it felt like Parker was happy to settle for a point.
Out of the two, Wolves were clearly the more desperate for the win. A point on the road, a first of the season, wouldn’t have been the worst result in the world for the Clarets, however disappointing it would be to give up that first-half two-goal lead.
Fans felt the changes off the bench didn’t help either, as the visitors returned to a back five, whereas Wolves felt more willing to throw caution to the wind. If any side was going to nick it at the death, it felt like it would be Vitor Pereira’s side.
But all Burnley required was one moment – and they got it. For as much criticism the changes received, it was two substitutes that combined for the winner, with Hannibal providing a perfectly-weighted pass for Lyle Foster to steer home beyond the onrushing goalkeeper.
Que absolutely wild scenes of celebration. Jubilant subs and players not even involved sprinting down the touchline to join in. The away end was in absolute raptures. These are the moments we live for.
By complete contrast, anger set in amongst the home faithful – after a miraculous Dubravka save, that is, to ensure the three points. Pereira had to be held back by stewards after confronting supporters. By the time you’re reading this, he might not even be in a job.
There’s no such worries at Burnley, who now move five points clear of the relegation zone, remaining on course to meet that average of one point per game normally required to ensure safety.
Burnley are doing just fine, they’re going along nicely and slipping under the radar, which will suit them just fine.
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