U21s SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO

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The story of how the 2022/23 season unfolded for the U21s month by month…

2023-05-20T11:00:00.000Z

U21s SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO

The story of how the 2022/23 season unfolded for the U21s month by month…

2023-05-20T11:00:00.000Z

Clarets face stern pre-season test against senior opposition

JANUARY

After over a month without a competitive game, the first order of the New Year for the U21s was a meeting with Sheffield Wednesday at the Burnley Training Centre, and on a bitterly cold afternoon, the Clarets ran out 3-0 winners.

As the more experienced members of the youth team had started to trickle through into the U21s setup, it allowed those from the U21s – like Owen Dodgson – to move out on loan until the end of the campaign.

Full-back Dodgson linked up with Sky Bet League Two outfit Rochdale, while Michael Mellon linked up with Morecambe a division higher, and Dara Costelloe joined Bradford City.

Captain Mark Helm also departed the Club on a permanent basis, joining Burton Albion in Sky Bet League One.

Before Mellon headed out, the forward netted a hat-trick against Swansea City in a 3-3 draw at the County Ground, Leyland.

The point wasn’t enough to keep Burnley’s hopes of progression from the Premier League Cup group stages alive, though took Mellon’s tally for the season to 12, which would seal him the top scorer spot for the U21s in 2022/23.

Crewe Alexandra were next on the agenda back in the league, and in a frantic game which saw Italian goalkeeper Denis Franchi dismissed, the visitors took all three points courtesy of a second half comeback in a 4-3 victory.

Nevertheless, Burnley bounced back and on the last day of the month rounded off their PL Cup campaign in the best possible way with a 3-2 victory at group winners Arsenal, a long-range dink from Marcel Lewis the standout moment of a memorable evening.

24 hours earlier, two attacking signings had been made to bolster the ranks in the form of Welshman Tom Tweedy – from Penybont FC – and Deji Sotona from OGC Nice.

FEBRUARY

Match action ramped up come February, starting with the Lancashire Senior Cup, which Burnley entered at the quarter-final stage with a home tie against Blackpool.

The Tangerines fielded a strong side at the Burnley Training Centre, but were seen off by the Clarets with Albanian Renaldo Torraj on target in a 3-1 success, setting up a semi-final tie in the competition against none other than Blackburn Rovers.

That game wouldn’t be for another two months though, and before it, there was still plenty of league action to come.

Halil Dervişoğlu netted in a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City, while a disappointing afternoon in Leyland saw Burnley fall to a 3-0 defeat against fellow play-off contenders Wigan Athletic in which the Latics named numerous senior figures.

February would end on a real high note however, with a dramatic victory against yet another fellow play-off contender in Hull City.

U16s defender Jack McEvilly was in the squad for a Monday evening trip to North Ferriby, where the Tigers twice led before Seb Thompson netted a last-gasp winner.

MARCH

With the play-offs now firmly in sight, the winning run continued at the start of March with a 2-1 victory over Coventry City at the Burnley Training Centre.

Dervişoğlu & Darko Churlinov got the Clarets’ goals, two of a number of experienced heads named in the side.

That though was to be as good as it got over the course of the month, with two damaging defeats to follow away against both Barnsley & Sheffield United, in both of which senior figures played valuable minutes.

March ended with a draw against Peterborough United on home soil, captain Dan Sassi Burnley’s goalscorer.

APRIL

After the draw with the Posh, a trip to Southern Section leaders – and eventual winners – Millwall awaited.

U21s PREVIEW: MILLWALL VS BURNLEY - Image 1

With the game against the Lions moved to The Den, the hosts – watched by senior boss Gary Rowett – named a number of first-team players and despite a man of the match performance from ‘keeper Franchi, it would end in a narrow 1-0 win for the hosts.

That would be a last league game for a fortnight, the void in the schedule filled with two friendlies. A very youthful Clarets side lost out to an XI from American outfit Cornell University, before one which resembled a more normal 11 beat Stockport County’s ‘B’ team 2-0 in the pouring rain at Edgeley Park.

Eventually, the PDL fixture list re-commenced with a home game against Bristol City, who would go on to finish 2nd in the Southern Section. A free-flowing team move saw Burnley take the lead via Joe Westley, but the Robins hit back instantly, and it would be two points dropped.

Torraj’s incredible free-kick seven days later earned all three points at the JobServe Community Stadium against Colchester United to keep play-off hopes alive, but they would soon be dashed by Swansea.

Meeting for the third time in the campaign, having previously faced off twice in the PL Cup, the Swans took a win at Turf Moor courtesy of a 4-2 scoreline.

Tweedy netted for the second game running, while Seb Thompson also got his name on the scoresheet in spectacular fashion, but two quickfire second half goals from the visitors put pay to any hopes of a top-two finish for the Clarets.

MAY

The 2022/23 campaign would end on a high though, with a last home game of the season bringing that East Lancashire derby in the semi-finals of the County Cup.

At the end of a tense opening 45 minutes against Blackburn Rovers, Westley poked home an opener, and from there on in, Burnley never looked back.

Thompson and January acquisition Sotona both struck in the second half to seal a spot in the final of the competition against Barrow AFC. That will take place in the build-up to the 2023/24 campaign as part of the U21s’ pre-season schedule, with full details to be confirmed.

And in the last game of the season, away at Watford, the Clarets picked up another victory with a 3-2 margin.

Polish youth international Wiktor Gromek & fellow midfielder Joe Bauress, still just 17, grabbed their first goals at U21 level, while Thompson’s long-range thunderstrike secured the victory.

It also cemented a 5th-place finish for Burnley, who would finish just four points outside the top two.

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