This was the story of Burnley’s season in a nutshell.
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Scott Parker's immediate reaction to Burnley's costly collapse against Fulham](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/scott-parkers-immediate-reaction-to-burnleys-costly-collapse-against-fulham-6071736 "Scott Parker's immediate reaction to Burnley's costly collapse against Fulham")
Competitive, well in the game and so close to an admirable result, yet somehow conspire to emerge empty-handed after shooting themselves in the foot. It’s rinse and repeat, one win in 22.
Actually, that doesn’t tell the whole story on this occasion because a rarity occurred at Craven Cottage: Burnley actually scored first in a game for only the second time in their last 20 encounters.
But that lead counted for very little. In fact, it was barely a lead at all, lasting just seven minutes. Another six minutes later and they found themselves behind.
Having worked so hard for the breakthrough, staying in the game and taking their chance when it came with a really well-worked team goal, it was inexcusable to find themselves 2-1 down only 13 minutes later – especially when you consider the nature of the goals.
For this wasn’t a bad display, it was one that could easily have brought a point or perhaps even more had good fortune gone their way. But Burnley only have themselves to blame, producing two unenforced errors to flip the game on its head.
That, you’d have to say, feels like that in terms of Burnley’s already slim survival hopes. Relegation has felt like an inevitability for some time now, months perhaps, but this felt different. It felt like the final nail in the coffin.
Burnley players thank the fans at full time. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Burnley players thank the fans at full time. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
It’s not, of course. Not mathematically at least. But you could sense the players were deflated, flattened psychologically by yet another occasion where they’ve nothing to show for their efforts.
It feels like Burnley are in a state of flux at this moment in time, just treading water waiting for the season to end. We all know what’s coming, we’re just playing a waiting game for that final axe to fall.
But until that moment arrives, there’s a further seven games to endure, albeit there’s now a three-week wait until the next time. In one of those fixtures they’ll finally be put out of their misery.
Harsh
Zian Flemming appeals for handball. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Zian Flemming appeals for handball. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
Concentrating on this fixture in hand, Burnley were more than a match for a Fulham side that are still well in the hunt for a European place.
But that’s where we come back to the very first sentence of this article, irrespective of the opposition, the Clarets have often shown they’re able to compete with the very best the Premier League has to offer. In fact, the better the opponent, the better Burnley tend to do.
In performances, that is, but irrespective of who they face, the one true constant is that they continue to fall a little short.
You sensed they might regret a couple of missed opportunities early into this sun-kissed affair by the Thames on Saturday, given that’s been another recurring theme of their season.
Zian Flemming celebrates his opening goal against Fulham. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Zian Flemming celebrates his opening goal against Fulham. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
Zian Flemming was denied by the arm of Calvin Bassey after just seven minutes, an incident checked and cleared by VAR. Like many, I don’t even know what the handball rule is nowadays, but we’re reliably informed the law was correctly followed. But it did seem incredibly harsh.
The Dutchman also probably ought to have done better with a close-range diving header after he had stretched to meet Quilindschy Hartman’s teasing cross from the left.
It was no coincidence the two Dutch natives combined for that particular chance, because they were Burnley’s standout players on the day. On Hartman specifically, for whatever issues he might have encountered behind the scenes this season, there can be no doubting his quality on the ball.
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Fulham inevitably grew back into the game and took over in terms of initiative, possession and territory, but the visitors were largely doing a good job of frustrating Marco Silva’s side and keeping them at bay, so much so they were booed off by an element of the home support at half-time.
Harry Wilson aside, the Cottagers didn’t look like causing Martin Dubravka too many problems. In that respect, so far, so good.
On its head
But you knew Fulham would improve in the second half and so they did, which is why it came a little out of the blue when Flemming gave Burnley the lead against the run of play on the hour mark.
It was a well-taken first-time finish to complete a well-constructed team move, involving both Jaidon Anthony and Lyle Foster, who laid on the assist to make up for what had been an otherwise underwhelming display.
But instead of giving Burnley something to desperately hang onto, the goal prompted the self-destruct button. Seven minutes later, a fairly harmless looking cross was delivered towards the back post where Dubravka made a real hash of dealing with it, resulting in the ball squirming through his legs, gifting Josh King a simple tap in.
Anthony, who had otherwise performed well, then failed to take sufficient care of the ball in the centre circle, prompting a Fulham counter that resulted in Wilson getting the goal he had threatened all afternoon – and in the blink of an eye, the game was done.
Or so you suspected, but Burnley did briefly threaten to get back on level terms as the game stretched and became end-to-end, Josh Laurent almost poking home from inside the six-yard box, Hartman being denied by a fabulous Bernd Leno save before Anthony was denied by another smart stop.
Such was the open nature of the game, you sensed further drama would still ensue. That indeed proved to be the case, but it came at the wrong end from Burnley’s point of view, with Laurent being shown a straight red for his careless shove in the back on Raul Jimenez inside the box. Jimenez dusted himself off and stuck away the penalty to compound Burnley’s misery.
Impressive
I would like to end this piece on a positive though, if at all possible. Flemming now has eight Premier League goals for the season, nine in all competitions.
Far more impressively though is that those eight league goals have come from 1,190 minutes – meaning he’s averaging a goal every 148 minutes.
That’s a remarkable record for anyone, but especially eye-catching for a player in his first season in the top flight.
Only eight players have a better minutes-per-goal record this season in the Premier League and that list includes the likes of Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago and Benjamin Sesko. Not bad company, eh?
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