U23 Reaction: Senior Service Pleases Stone

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Jensen and co earn the plaudits as Clarets draw 0-0 with Wolves

2021-01-18T17:34:35.960Z

U23 Reaction: Senior Service Pleases Stone

Jensen and co earn the plaudits as Clarets draw 0-0 with Wolves

2021-01-18T17:34:35.960Z

Steve Stone welcomed the return of a number of ‘senior’ players as the U23s stood firm to earn a point and edge a place back up the PL2 Second Division table.

The Clarets drew 0-0 with second-placed Wolves to go back into the division’s top 10 – just three points behind third-placed Fulham

Stone’s side bounced back from a 4-1 loss to leaders Leeds United a week ago which ended a five-match unbeaten run.

And with more experience in their ranks in a fixture switched to the Clarets’ Barnfield training ground, the afternoon was doubly beneficial as Wolves’ three-match winning league run was brought to an end.

Under-23s' boss challenges players to stay the course in play-off race

“They are up at the top of our league. They spend money, they recruit well and they mix it really well,” said U23’ boss Stone.

“They have a talented side and cause you problems. We knew that but we were competitive all over the pitch.

“We lacked quality at times, but within that we got some lads who are around the first team some minutes who need a game.

“Josh Benson, Jimmy Dunne and Lukas (Jensen) were particularly good and it was positive for them to get some minutes, which is what we look for.

“Their two centre-halves handled big Joel and Max really well but we had one moment when Ne-Jai (Tucker) slipped the ball down the side for Max (Thompson).

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“If he takes the shot a touch earlier or takes it around the goalkeeper we probably get that opportunity and slide it in. But that’s how the game was. There was not a lot of clarity to it.

“We ground a game out and we got a 0-0 against a very good side at Cat One level, who are always building and developing. We carry on from there and the journey goes on.”

Thompson had the Clarets’ only real opportunity to clinch a fifth win of the campaign, while Wolves were a denied a number of times by Jensen and also hit the woodwork late on.

Jensen, 21, was in the Burnley squad at West Ham last Saturday and like Dunne, Benson, Anthony Glennon and possibly one or two others, may be back in London as part of the travelling party for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Fulham.

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He was given a sharpener back with the 23s and Stone was delighted with the big Dane’s contribution to earning a first clean sheet since he also shut out Stoke City early last month.

“Lukas has been developing really well since he got here a year-and-a-half ago,” Stone added.

“He’s progressing really well. You don’t want to get ahead of yourself with where he’s going to get to but there have been some really positive signs from him.

“He made some really good saves and kept us in the game at important times.

“You need your goalkeeper to do that – although it is his job.

“But you still need to make those big saves when they come along. You can be not used for 70/80 minutes and then you have to pull off a couple of saves and he did that.

“He got a clean sheet and he’ll be delighted with that.”