August 30, 2023 6:50 pm
Clarets claim silverware with penalty victory over Bluebirds
Burnley FC U21s claimed the Lancashire FA Senior Cup with victory over an experienced Barrow side at the Lancashire FA County Ground.
Joe Westley netted in the first half before Barrow’s Trialist A scored with the last kick of the game to send the match to spot kicks.
Westley himself stepped up to score the first before Dennis Franchi saved from Ged Garner.
Franchi then kept out another effort from 12 yards from Sam Bellis before U18s captain Joe Ashton slotted home the winning spot kick.
The Clarets made two changes from Saturday’s draw – 26th August – with Denis Franchi and Will Hugill coming into the side in place of Alex Healy-Byrne and Charlie Casper.
First Half
It was an extremely tight start to this Final, with chances few and far between, and it wasn’t until the 22nd minute that either side tested the ‘keepers, as Lewis Richardson picked up Marcel Lewis’ superb through ball and beat his man before shooting at the legs of Josh Lillis.
The Clarets again put a nice piece of play together as Lewis and Richardson were involved once more, with the latter scooping a shot over the top.
It wasn’t long before Burnley’s dominance paid off, with Westley finding the net to put the U21s in front after another fantastic spell of play resulted in Tom Tweedy squaring the ball for the forward, who tapped in past Josh Lillis.
In what proved to be the last action of the first half, Owen Dodgson stepped up to take a free-kick and fiercely whipped the ball towards goal, leaving Lillis beaten, but unfortunately his strike fizzed wide of the target.
Second Half
Barrow had two quickfire chances to start the second half, with Elliot Newby curling an effort over from distance, before Trialist A headed over the top following a corner.
The second 45 was as tight as the first, with opportunities again hard to come by, until Richardson found himself one-on-one with Lillis following good work from Jez Davies to hold off his marker, but the ‘keeper came out on top this time around, tipping a strike round the post.
Chances then began to flow, with Franchi pulling off a smart save to deny Owen Bray before Burnley went up the other end and saw a Lewis shot cleared off the line.
The Italian stopper was called into action once more on 82 minutes, getting down well to deny Robbie Gotts with his feet to keep the Clarets ahead.
Burnley had thought they’d seen the game out, before the ball broke to Trialist A following a corner and he prodded home a last gasp equaliser to send the game to spot kicks.
Penalties
Goalscorer Westley stepped up to take first, and slotted the ball past the ‘keeper, before Ged Garner saw his effort kept out by Franchi.
Dodgson followed up and whipped his effort into the top left corner and Elliot Newby made no mistake to net for Barrow.
Lewis then contined his excellent game by finding the bottom corner with his spot kick before hero Franchi saved again to deny substitute Sam Bellis.
Joe Ashton took last, knowing that if he scored, the Clarets would win the cup, and he sent Lillis the wrong way to secure the 2022/23 Lancashire FA Senior Cup trophy.
The U21s are back in action this Friday – when they travel to Essex to take on Colchester in the Professional Development League, at the JobServe Community Stadium (7pm KO).
Burnley: Franchi, Hugill, Sassi, Trialist (Ashton ‘71), Dodgson, Davies, Lewis, Richardson (Healy-Byrne ‘88), Socoliche, Westley, Tweedy (Grant ‘84)
Unused Subs: Forshaw, Le Fondre
Barrow: Lillis, Trialist A, Garner, Newby, Duffus (Bellis ‘63), Gotts, Foley, Warren, Trialist B (Trialist C ‘63) , Bray, Reave
Unused Subs: Farman, While, Feely
Goals: Westley, ‘30, Trialist A, ‘90+5
