Verdict: Forget the sideshows, Burnley are left with one clear focus after nervy Cardiff City win

As satisfying as it was witnessing the records tumble slowly but surely, one by one, you get no prizes for having the league’s best defence.

Heading into the final stretch with only 11 games remaining, it’s all about victories. If the Clarets concede the odd goal here or there, while it’s neither ideal nor desirable, it will soon be forgotten if they end the season finishing above the automatic promotion line, not below it.

This was a tough and nervy watch during the final stages, as Burnley were camped inside their own half in a desperate attempt to keep Championship strugglers Cardiff City at bay. I’m sure those viewing from home were watching the game through their fingers at times.

It was a far from convincing end to the game, but ultimately Burnley deserved the three points and, more significantly, that’s exactly what they ended up with.

Positive reaction

After the cup disappointment at the weekend, it was imperative Burnley, first and foremost, issued a reaction to their 3-0 defeat at Deepdale.

The players, no doubt still stinging from the criticism, responded in the best way possible.

The Clarets were coasting, such was their dominance. Josh Brownhill, A.K.A. Mr Reliable, gave them a deserved early lead when he steered home from Hannibal’s pullback to bag his 11th of the season.

A second duly followed, albeit from a far more unlikely source in Maxime Esteve – the Frenchman scoring his first goal in Burnley colours.

To be fair, Esteve would have done well to miss, having the simple task of tapping home from two or three yards out after Zian Flemming had done well to stretch his neck muscles and head the ball back across the face of goal.

Job done, we were all thinking. But Cardiff, scrapping for their lives just one place above the relegation zone, had other ideas.

The End

Or, more to the point, Burnley decided to shoot themselves in the foot. All they had to do was see out the remaining minutes and head back to the changing room to bask in the glory of their first-half display, knowing full well the job was as good as done.

Now that might sound arrogant, but this is, or should I say was, a Burnley side that had gone 1,132 minutes without conceding prior to Yousef Salech’s header looping beyond James Trafford’s dive. A two-goal lead would have been unassailable.

But alas, it wasn’t to be – the run of clean sheets ends at 12. JJ Watt is safe, there will be no grand return from retirement. Manchester United, the holders of the most consecutive shutouts in English football history, with 14 in 2008/98 can also breathe a huge sigh of relief.

It was such a soft way for the record to be broken too, which was the most frustrating aspect. The goal was so avoidable.

Marcus Edwards put Connor Roberts in trouble with a weak backpass, which was quickly capitalised on by the Bluebirds. A cross was hung up into the centre where Salech directed the ball up and over Trafford, with replays showing it actually came off his shoulder rather than his head. It was something of an anti-climax.

What could have been

To Burnley’s credit, they didn’t allow the setback to affect their performance levels at the start of the second-half as they went about restoring their two-goal lead.

Chances came and went, while two penalty appeals were ignored. Josh Brownhill was clumsily brought to ground before Marcus Edwards also appeared to be felled inside the box. Neither were punished.

It was a good job too, because Burnley would have been left seething had they given up this win and allowed Cardiff to snatch a point.

That’s almost exactly what transpired though, as Omer Riza’s side turned the tide during the last 30 minutes or so and piled on the pressure.

With nothing to lose, the hosts knew they could throw caution to the wind and have a right go during the final stages. That they did.

Burnley became increasingly desperate as the clock wound down. Three separate players picked up bookings for time wasting. Joe Worrall provided extra defensive cover as Parker took off an attacking player to head and kick every ball away from their box. It was anything but pretty.

Their resistance was almost broken deep into stoppage-time when Will Fish, coasting into the Burnley box almost unopposed, somehow managed to miss the target from all of six or seven yards out. It was a glaring miss.

All to play for

As it is, the missed opportunity is soon forgotten about. The same will be said of Burnley’s now defunct clean sheet record if they go on and secure promotion.

The Clarets had to ensure they did whatever it takes to win this game. It ought to have been far more comfortable than it transpired to be, but win it they did.

The game in hand has been ticked off and the gap to Sheffield United in second is back down to two points. Leaders Leeds remain in touching distance thanks to their draw against West Brom at the weekend.

It’s all to play for as we head into the decisive last few weeks of the campaign. Luton Town are up next and, on paper, you’d expect it to be another Burnley win. But as Cardiff proved, Championship football just isn’t that simple.

As for Burnley, they passed this test, just about - there’s now 11 more to go.