Oxford blow it!
   Oxford blew the chance to pull away from the drop zone but remain a point clear after Burnley's
   late comeback to win 2-1 at the Manor Ground.
   The U's could have been so much better off but for their inability to deal with the visitors switch
   in tactics and aerial threat from crosses.
   Burnley went on all-out attack in the last 20 minutes as they trailed to an early strike from
   prolific Matt Murphy.
   Burnley equalised when Steve Davis headed in Paul Weller's cross on 85 minutes and Weller,
   the substitute, grabbed the winner in the last minute of normal time.
   Clrets boss Stan Ternent threw caution to the wind when Weller and Ian Wright came on after 71
   minutes but they combined to claim the winning goal in dramatic fashion.
   Wright crossed for Weller to head home and spark the scenes of celebration as The Clarets
   maintained their chances of sneaking an automatic promotion spot.
   Murphy had given Oxford the lead in the early stages when indecision in the Burnley defence
   allowed him to take the ball on and rifle in past Paul Crichton who had no chance.
   It was the striker's 17th goal of the season and provided the U's with a vital lead in a game they
   needed to win.
   Micky Mellon had a great chance to equalise when clean through but was hacked down by Paul
   Powell - the last line of Oxford's defence.
   However, the referee controversially decided that it was only a yellow card offence.

LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH

                                 All's well that ends Weller

                                   Division Two: Oxford United 1 Burnley 2 - Pete Oliver's
                                   match verdict

                                   JUST when you think it can't get any better, it does.

                                   Three games ago it was a last-gasp equaliser, last week an
                                   injury-time winner and then on Saturday Burnley somehow
                                   managed to conjure up two goals beyond the 85th-minute
                                   to snatch a victory that puts promotion within their grasp.

                                   And to add to the fantasy, the incredible 93rd-minute
                                   clincher, which means that the Clarets will go second in the
                                   table if they beat Gillingham at Turf Moor tomorrow night,
                                   came from a player who hasn't scored for two years and has
                                   barely kicked a ball in anger in that time.

                                   Substitute Paul Weller, who also took his name off the
                                   Burnley transfer list this week, marked his return to action
                                   following knee surgery, his fourth operation in two seasons
                                   after the stomach problems that had threatened his career,
                                   with a coolly headed goal from a pin-point cross delivered
                                   by who else but Ian Wright.

                                   Captain Marvel Steve Davis started the fight-back with his
                                   second goal in three games five minutes from time.

                                   Then Burnley defied the odds again to deliver what could be
                                   the decisive blow in the promotion race courtesy of Weller's
                                   first goal since scoring in a relegation scrap at Oldham in
                                   May, 1998.

                                   "I couldn't have asked for much better could I?" he said.

                                   "The gaffer only told me an hour before the game that I
                                   was on the bench and it's ideal coming on and scoring the
                                   winner. "The last goal was to keep us in the division.

                                   "This one is more important to try and get us out of the
                                   division."

                                   And Weller admitted that the goal, only the sixth of his
                                   career, was something of a collector's item.

                                   "Heading isn't my strong point and the lads are all taking
                                   the Micky out of me.

                                   "My first ever goal was a header but that was an easy one.

                                   "This one, I just watched it slowly as it came over. Alan
                                   missed it and it was coming to me. I thought 'Oh my God'
                                   head it, and luckily it went into the bottom corner," he
                                   added.

                                   Weller's remarkable effort with only seconds to play
                                   prompted wildly contrasting emotions as Burnley celebrated
                                   a massive victory that puts their destiny back in their own
                                   hands.

                                   There's a genuine feeling now that they can do it and force
                                   the pundits, myself included, into a bit of humble pie eating
                                   after points dropped in March looked as though they had
                                   put the top two out of reach.

                                   The players realise, however, that they aren't in Division
                                   One yet and they now face two massive games inside a
                                   week against Gillingham and Millwall, who also have their
                                   eyes on following champions-elect Preston straight up.

                                   Oxford, on the other hand, were shattered by another
                                   come-from-behind Burnley defeat which leaves them
                                   hovering perilously above the bottom four.

                                   They did little to suggest that they would add to their
                                   13th-minute opener from Matt Murphy. But with keeper
                                   Richard Knight in magnificent form, Denis Smith's side
                                   looked as though they were going to stave off Burnley's
                                   second-half resurgence and secure only a sixth home
                                   success of the season.

                                   However, a two-goal lead at Turf Moor at the end of
                                   December wasn't enough to earn them a point and here, in
                                   weather more suited to mid-winter, they succumbed again
                                   to the Clarets' remarkable refusal to accept a lost cause.

                                   After an instantly forgettable first-half, in which Murphy
                                   stroked the hosts ahead when left all alone to convert a
                                   Steve Anthrobus knock-down and the highly impressive Paul
                                   Powell had fired another Oxford effort just across the face
                                   of goal, Burnley began to find their game.

                                   Ternent switched to a 4-4-2 formation and with Alan Lee
                                   doing well up front alongside Andy Payton, and Graham
                                   Branch offering greater penetration on the left, the chances
                                   finally started to come.

                                   Payton looked increasingly threatening and warmed Knight's
                                   hands with a rising shot before the industrious Paul Cook,
                                   who had just made an important interception at the other
                                   end, dipped a long-range effort just over the top. With an
                                   hour gone, Knight made a stunning save to deny Johnrose
                                   and then bravely blocked at the feet of Payton as the
                                   Clarets' leading scorer just lacked the space to deliver a
                                   more telling finish.

                                   Then when Lilley hooked the ball off the line from Payton
                                   and Knight held another Johnrose piledriver it looked as
                                   though Burnley would lose significant ground in the
                                   promotion chase. The 2,121 travelling fans must have
                                   thought they had got a soaking in vain until the Clarets'
                                   pressure finally told when Davis met Weller's cross to send
                                   a marvellous, looping header beyond Knight from fully 18
                                   yards.

                                   Even with Ian Wright on for the final 20 minutes it was
                                   surely too much to expect another miraculous finish and
                                   Nigel Jemson almost shattered Burnley's hopes with a
                                   well-struck volley just over the bar a minute from time.

                                   But the ex-England man has an incredible knack of making
                                   things happen and with the match in the third and final
                                   minute of added time Wright did it again.

                                   The evergreen striker chased a Lee knock-on to the
                                   touchline and when he sized up and delivered the perfect
                                   deep cross, Weller was waiting to stoop and guide home a
                                   goal that may well provide the platform for a promotion
                                   triumph.

BURNLEY EXPRESS
HIS namesake once sang "Who is the five o'clock hero?" with The Jam, and
Paul Weller aptly lived up to the billing at the Manor Ground.

Weller, taken off the transfer list during the week, hit the right note when
he popped up to head home his first goal in two years to make Burnley
masters of their own destiny in the promotion race.

You thought Ian Wright's last-minute winner against Notts County was
dramatic.

But the Clarets topped that at Oxford with a script too far fetched even for
Roy of the Rovers.

Trailing by a goal with five minutes to play, Weller crossed for skipper
Steve Davis to head home an equaliser.

But Burnley didn't settle for that, knowing a win was crucial in the chase
for second spot.

And, incredibly, Weller snatched the points in injury time.

It was enough to make you feel that the omens are with Burnley, although
they still have a lot of hard work to do to join Preston North End in the
First Division.

This was an incredible story for an indomitable side, but what a turn up for
Weller.

After a brave comeback from a year out with serious stomach problems, he
fought his way back into the squad, only to be transfer-listed after finding
his appearances limited.

A subsequent knee injury set him back further, but, having been taken off
the list in the week, he came off the bench to transform the game, and
Burnley's season.

Burnley know if they win their remaining five games, they will be promoted
without the hassle of the play-offs.

The battle is far from over, but the Clarets have put themselves in pole
position to end a five-year absence from the First Division.

Again they had to dig themselves out of a hole, but with this never-say-die
side, anything is possible.

They went behind on 13 minutes somewhat against the run of play.

Having bossed possession and held the territorial advantage, Oxford broke to
score.

Graham Branch could only flick on Dean West's pass to Mark Watson, and his
long ball was headed on by the giant Steve Anthrobus for Matt Murphy to
ghost in and finish in the bottom corner.

Burnley remained lively after that, although they struggled against Oxford's
dominant centre backs.

They matched the Us' 4-4-2 system, with Mitchell Thomas shifting across and
Paul Smith playing wide.

Andy Payton then forced a superb diving stop from Richard Knight, but at the
other end, the hugely impressive Paul Powell shot across the face of goal
with a decent chance.

Stan Ternent threw on Alan Lee at the break to lead the line and add a bit
of height to the attack, with Branch switched to the left.

But it was Oxford who again went close, Murphy seeing his effort deflected
wide at the far post after Phil Whelan flicked on a Derek Lilley centre.

Burnley were the dominant side after that.

Payton again stung Knight's fingers, while a rasper from man-of-the-match
Lenny Johnrose ˆ which looked a certain goal all the way ˆ was somehow
tipped over.

Knight then bravely came out to deny Payton, before Ternent introduced
Wright and Weller at the expense of Paul Cook and West.

Still the Clarets were kept out, as Lilley cleared a Davis header off the
line and Johnrose again went close from the edge of the box.

But with time running out, Weller jinked down the right and whipped over a
cross.

Davis rose majestically and looped a stunning header from the edge of the
area over Knight into the corner.

But Burnley weren't happy with a point.

And in the second of three minutes of added time, Wright produced a quality
cross from the left, it went over Lee, but Weller sneaked in to guide the
ball into the corner and send the magnificent 2,121 travelling supporters
wild.

It was a triumphant moment for the Brighton-born midfielder.

His last goal was a sublime volley at Oldham under Chris Waddle as the
Clarets fought relegation.

That goal, in entirely different circumstances, showcased his undoubted
talent, but Saturday also displayed his great spirit and resolve.

It is a quality which the rest of the side also have in abundance, and which
will certainly work in their favour over the next three weeks or so.

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