Clarets lose at Watford and Imps win in Welling as the build up to the FA Cup tie continues

The next match on The Road to Wembley from Scotland is Burnley v Lincoln City in round 5 of the FA Cup on the 18^th February. Yesterday the two teams were in action and they had contrasting fortunes.

Burnley travelled south to play a Premier League match against fellow mid-tablers Watford. Burnley are fantastic at home and shite away from home. Before yesterday Burnley had played 11 Premier League games away from home this season and had managed just a single draw. They had lost all the other 10 matches, hence it was no surprise when they lost again yesterday. It seemed like the contest was all over when after only 6 minutes when hot headed Irishman Jeff Hendrick made a mad lunge with both feet and was adjudged to have been reckless in his challenge with the Watford player Holebas.

Hendrick's red mist or purple haze? Jeff leaves his calling card and he leaves the pitch.

The red card was shown and Burnley were hence required to play for 84 minutes with 10 men against 11. It was no surprise when the Clarets found themselves 2 goals down at half time. The men from Lancashire showed some spirit in the second period and actually pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after 78 minutes

No consolation. Burnley's Ashley Barnes pulls a goal back from the spot but too little too late

Watford were able to use their numerical advantage to see the game out and Burnley hence returned home with zilch.

Scotwatch: Both the Scotsman who plays for Canada (Scott Arfield) and the Englishman who plays for Scotland (George Boyd) were in the starting line up for Burnley yesterday. As both are hard working midfield players it is not surprising that both were substituted late in the second half. It is often a thankless, and tiring, task chasing the ball when the opposing team can use an extra man to pass the spherical object about as they wish. The other player in the Burnley ranks with Scottish connections is Joey Barton who started the season with Glasgow Rangers. Joey ‘won’ the penalty for his team when his shot was handled and he played for the full 90 minutes. Much more about Joey in midweek.

Dafabet or daft to bet? Marmite man Joey Barton at the end of the match yesterday.

Lincoln City also travelled south yesterday for their fixture. They played Welling in the FA Trophy. The FA Trophy is often heralded as the ‘non-leaguers FA Cup’. The Trophy is for teams who play their football outwith the EFL and as the Imps are top of the pyramid that lies outwith the football league they are, by definition, top seeds for this competition that also features a Wembley final. Yesterday Lincoln City sought to keep key players fresh for the titanic challenges in the Vanarama National League and the FA Cup that lie ahead. Hence their talented young manager Danny Cowley made 7 team changes. Everything Cowley touches at the moment turns to gold and the Imps won at a canter. New signing Dayle Southwell opened the scoring in the first half.

Green for go. Red Imps in emerald! Dayle Southwell is Welling up!

Imps squad player Joe Ward added a double in the second half and the Imps were cruising into the quarter finals of the Trophy. Welling managed a consolation before the end. Final score Welling 1 Lincoln City 3.

Scotwatch: With Jamaican international ex Motherwell player Theo Robinson transferred to Southend last Monday the Imps now have no players with even tenuous Scottish links. They did however field a player, Jamie McCombe, who has a Scots name yesterday. Apparently he played well so maybe he does have some Scots blood in his veins.

Both Burnley and Lincoln City have one more fixture to fulfill before the big one. They both have important league business to attend to next weekend. Burnley play Chelsea and Lincoln City play host to Working. Then the spotlight will be turned firmly on Turf Moor for what promises to be a fabulous sell-out FA Cup tie. I have my feelers out for a ticket and I am hopeful but not complacent. Whatever it takes I will be there on the 18^th February when football history could be made. Will Joey Barton manage to keep out of trouble before then? I will be posting a ‘Joey Barton Special’ in midweek. Make sure you come back here on Wednesday to read it. You can bet that it is going to be a good one! Keep reading …