Clarets are own worst enemies

Describe it how you wish. But courageous Chesterfield certainly cause an abundance of problems for Burnley each time these two lock horns in combat.

The surprise packets of Division Two, and assembled for a quarter of the cost of the Burnley squad, they have proved one of the toughest nuts to crack this season.

Fierce and uncomplicated, Chesterfield play to their strengths and it works a treat. Ask anyone in this division. Ask Burnley.

John Duncan's side handed out a 4-2 thumping to the 10-men Clarets on a distinctly forgettable day at Saltergate in late September.

And they came within nine minutes of claiming a remarkable league double over the Turf Moor men.

Again, though, Burnley proved their own worst enemies. The Clarets took their foot off the gas pedal after threatening to drive straight over the opposition inside the opening 30 minutes.

That sole aspect of Burnley's approach is fast becoming an increasingly worrying trait in their make-up as precious home points are tossed away.

That ruthless edge, to kill teams off after dictating and bossing a large chunk of the game, could ultimately cost the Clarets dear.

Another brace of goals from Kurt Nogan, number 18 and 19 of the season, were both strikes to savour.

Yet, on the down side, the Chesterfield goals were lapses in defensive concentration.

How many more painful lessons will Burnley have to endure before they tighten up?

And while the overall performance was a fairly reasonable one, with some inventive and bright play, another draw on home turf is not a satisfying result for players and supporters in this most crucial of seasons.

Apart from the Nogan shooting boots, it is difficult to see where the other goals are going to come from at present to boost the Burnley goals column.

Nogan's current form makes the art of goal-poaching seem simple.

He not only possesses the rich skill and clever artistry to score spectacular goals, but he has that uncanny knack of appearing in the right place at the right time.

He hoovers up the leftovers inside the penalty box and Bobby Gould's recent description of him as 'a goal sniffer' was spot-on.

His first was a classic example of just what the Wales manager meant.

As Burnley turned up the heat, David Eyres swung in a corner.

Chesterfield goalkeeper Andy Beasley committed himself to try and collect, but left himself stranded.

The keeper could only flail the ball towards Jamie Hoyland.

The Clarets skipper headed downwards, and into a ruck of desperate defenders.

Sure enough, there was Nogan, almost unnoticed in the fray, to sweep the chance home from five yards out.

That should have been Burnley's launching pad. Yet they failed to press home that hard-won advantage and Chesterfield grabbed a crucial leveller before half-time.

A Nogan opportunity went begging and then Beasley reprieved himself with a flying save to deny Adrian Randall's powerhouse shot.

But it was a lad with a monster future in the game who grabbed that all-important strike.

Teenage striker Kevin Davies is just 18 and is already rated in the £1 million pound bracket.

Apparently Liverpool have first option on this young talent when he leaves Chesterfield for the big city lights, and it is not hard to see why.

Tall and rangy, the lad has an astonishing burst of pace and a real edge to his play. He stands out in a crowd and saw a first minute opportunity thump against the side-netting.

He is in 'frightening form' according to his manager John Duncan. "I've worked with two real matchwinners," says Duncan.

"One was Dalian Atkinson, the other is Davies. He's got the potential to be as strong and as individually creative as Atkinson."

He certainly showed some of that undoubted potential with Chesterfield's leveller.

A long hike upfield was headed into the path of the impressive Tony Lormor. He, in turn, provided a telling pass for Davies.

The young striker glided wide of his marker to plant an awesome shot past Marlon Beresford.

It rocked Burnley on their heels and Chesterfield were soon celebrating the lead.

Squeezed in between that was a Kurt Nogan header which slapped against the foot of the post. A slick one-two interchange between Adrian Heath and Chris Vinnicombe then saw the defender blast inches wide of the target.

But the second Chesterfield goal, when it arrived, was a truly bizarre affair.

The keeper launched the ball forward, clearing the Burnley offside trap, Tony Lormor keeping his head to aim a lob over Beresford.

It was the key for Burnley to launch a double substitution to try and repair the damage.

Ted McMinn and Andy Cooke arrived on the scene, quickly followed by John Francis.

And it was Francis and Cooke who played a kingsize role in Nogan's equaliser to squeeze a point from the visitors.

The tricky Francis wormed his way to the byline and when the cross arrived, Cooke got in a close-ranged header which the goalkeeper could only glove out to Nogan who finished smartly.

It set up a frantic finish and Lormor saw a header ruled out for offside while John Francis went close to snatching a dramatic winner in the dying seconds.

Ultimately, though, Burnley were made to pay for not cashing in on that early territorial advantage. HEATH DISGRUNTLED: David Eyres and Adrian Heath troop off following their substitutions CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS: Jamie Hoyland battles on despite blood gushing from a head wound

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