Verdict: Burnley show all of their strength and resolve to survive big Derby County scare

This was a big scare though, there’s no doubt about it. Of Burnley’s now 28-game unbeaten run, not many, if any, have tested the Clarets and put them under as much strain as John Eustace’s side did.

That’s the ultimate compliment to a Derby side that are fighting and scrapping for their lives down at the wrong end of the Championship table. Fighting and scrapping being the operative words.

The fact that Burnley still managed to come away unbeaten and without conceding, for the 29th time this season, is testament to the character and resolve of Scott Parker’s side.

Initially at the full-time whistle it felt like two priceless points dropped in the race for automatic promotion. But while the Clarets dropped off top spot, the damage was limited by Sheffield United’s surprise defeat to Millwall.

Expect plenty more twists and turns to come. If the past week or so has proven anything, it’s to expect the unexpected during the final five games of the season.

Uncomfortable

Leaving the Pride Park pitch, which resembled Blackpool Beach in places, the Burnley players knew they had been in a real battle. Physically and mentally they were drained.

For the second time in four days, they had to go to the well to grind out an ugly result. This time it was only a point, not three like at Coventry, but at this stage of the campaign they all count.

The Clarets started off brightly enough. For the first half an hour or so this contest looked exactly like it should do, a side in top spot showing their class with a dominant display against a side mired in relegation strife.

But for all of Burnley’s good play, they were unable to find the breakthrough. They came close enough, Zian Flemming seeing his goalbound effort superbly tipped around the post, while the same man lobbed just wide of the target after a defensive mix-up.

The otherwise ineffective Marcus Edwards also arrowed a shot narrowly wide of the upright after embarking on a mazy run into the Derby box.

But that, it has to be said, was as good as it got for the visitors in terms of clear-cut opportunities. From the 30-minute point onwards, they were effectively stifled by a direct, but effective Derby outfit.

For the remainder of the first-half in particular, the visitors were made to feel extremely uncomfortable. The game was completely turned on its head as the Rams made full use of their shocking pitch (and why wouldn’t you?), by making the game as scrappy as possible.

They played the ball long, turned Burnley into the corners, played for long throws and corners and hurled the ball into the box as often as possible.

And you know what? In a weird way, I almost enjoyed it. Not because Burnley were suffering, but it just made for a pleasant change. It was almost refreshing to see a team mixing up their approach, not relying on the identikit Pep-lite approach that most clubs – irrespective of whether or not they have the players at their disposal to carry it out – that most managers seem to adopt nowadays. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

Derby made it their type of game. They grabbed the initiative. Burnley didn’t know what had hit them. Dare I say it, they even looked a little rattled.

Standing up

But that’s where the doubts end, because we should know by now not to question this Burnley side – especially when it comes to their defensive resolve.

James Trafford stood up to the aerial bombardment of his six-yard box, Maxime Esteve and CJ Egan-Riley headed and kicked everything that came their way under pressure from the land of the giants, while the whole team mucked in to ensure that goal was protected.

That’s now 29 clean sheets from 41 league games. The all-time English record, of 30, is about to be matched any day now. It’s still only 12 goals conceded all season.

That doesn’t happen by coincidence. That’s not just a case of good tactics, effective team structure and so on. That’s character. That’s resolve. That’s the ability to stand up and be counted when things are getting grim.

Many have argued Burnley’s plethora of draws, that’s now 16 for the season, could be their undoing in the fight for automatic promotion. But who knows, that ability to never say die and never give up could be what gets them over the line. After all, they’ve still only lost twice all season. Compare that to EIGHT games for Sheffield United.

Go again

The goalless draws have been a concern, however. While this was the first stalemate since the draw with Preston at Deepdale in February, it’s still number 12 for the season.

This is the first time in a while the Clarets have looked so toothless in attack. More worryingly, they were unable to wrestle back control at times when Derby were getting on top of them. Is physical and mental fatigue beginning to set in?

It wouldn’t be a surprise given the week they’ve just had, but it would be far from ideal with such a quick turnaround before they play Norwich City in the early game on Friday night.

As Parker has often warned, expect there to be more twists and turns to come. Just because Burnley went top of the table doesn’t mean this was all-of-sudden going to become a straight-forward end to the season.

Parker’s men are going to have to exhaust every last inch of sweat and take themselves to uncomfortable places in each and every one of these final games. But we know they have it in them.