Burgmeier creates Quakers history (From The Northern Echo)

Burgmeier creates Quakers history

9:07am Monday 15th September 2008 in

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Darlington 2 Port Vale 1

DARLINGTON midfielder Franz Burgmeier became the first player from Liechtenstein to score in the Football League and in turn inspire Quakers to their first home win of the season.

The 26-year-old capped a hectic personal fortnight with Quakers’ equaliser, and from there they completed their comeback to win their first regular home league game since March.

Burgmeier has racked up the miles in the last 14 days.

After starring in Quakers’ 6-0 win over Macclesfield a fortnight ago, he played for his country in the 6-0 home defeat by Germany in Vaduz, and then last Wednesday he was on the eastern edge of Europe in the Azerbaijan capital Baku – not far from the Iran border — for a goalless draw.

But he showed few signs of flagging as Quakers came from behind to pick up three points and move into tenth place in the table.

Manager Dave Penney, who might have to plan without winger David Poole for a week or two because of a sore shoulder, said: “Franz looked bright and sharp in wide areas, even though he’s travelled all around Europe in the last week.

“He can play on both the left and the right, and is certainly a threat. Hopefully now we can have a full week in training with him, and he can settle more into the team.

“He is one of those players who can use both feet well.

He’s right footed, but he’s played at left back and wide left for his country. It’s important and very useful to have players like him in the squad.

It was a good set-piece by him into the near post, everybody missed the ball and it went straight in.”

Penney agreed that the performance wasn’t the prettiest.

He said: “It was the worst of our three home performances so far, but the lads showed great character to come back from a goal down. We didn’t play with enough tempo in the first half, and their front two were a handful.

“Port Vale are another team who have come here and been hard to break down because they enjoy the stadium and the pitch. It was a great finish from Liam Hatch, and he showed how much we missed him last week at Aldershot. It was a typical centre forward header, and I was delighted for him because he worked his socks off.”

Instead of conceding from set-pieces as they did against Exeter and Gillingham in previous home games as well as this one, Quakers scored from two of their own.

“We’re not the biggest of sides, but it gives us a bit more of an edge, when we have Steve Foster, Alan White and Liam Hatch up there,” added Penney. “I thought their free kick shouldn’t have been awarded, but it was a great shot into the top corner for their goal.”

There was little for the crowd to get excited about until midway through the first half, when Poole, who had just received treatment for a shoulder injury, dribbled his way towards the Port Vale box from the right touchline and appeared to be felled just inside, but referee Karl Evans pointed for the offence just inches outside.

On 28 minutes, Evans then awarded Port Vale a dubious free-kick just outside the Darlington box for a foul by skipper Foster on Luke Rodgers, who then curled an exquisite effort with his right foot over the defensive wall beyond the outstretched hand of keeper Simon Brown.

There was no doubt over the referee’s next decision, a foul by former Quaker loanee Anthony Griffith on Adam Griffin out on the left.

Burgmeier whipped the free kick into the near post, the presence of Alan White distracted the Vale defence, and the ball went past everybody into the net for a landmark goal.

In the second half, the normally reliable Billy Clarke missed a good chance for Quakers from ten yards after the Vale defence went to sleep, but Lee Sinnott’s side missed two good chances at the other end.

Robert Taylor crossed perfectly into the six yard box, where Marc Richards guided his header wide of Brown’s post, and then Brown stopped Rodgers’ effort with his outstretched right hand when the former Shrewsbury striker was clean through.

But after a brief spell of pressure, Quakers won from a fairly routine corner, similar to the Marvin Morgan goal at Aldershot last week, on 76 minutes.

Griffin swung a left wing corner into the six yard box, where Hatch charged in and headed into the roof of the net.

MATCH FACTS

Goals 0-1: Rodgers (28 mins, perfectly executed free kick) 1-1: Burgmeier (38 mins, low free kick from the left) 2-1: Hatch (76 mins, six yard from inswinging corner)
Bookings: Richman (35 mins dissent); Prosser (45 mins, foul); Collins (69 mins, foul)
Referee: Karl Evans (Manchester): Better than the last referee at the Arena, but question marks over his award of a free kick for the Vale goal 6
Attendance: 3,040
Entertainment: **

	Darlington	Port Vale
Shots on	8	8
Shott off	5	6
Corners	3	2
Fouls	3	4
Offsides	2	2

 

DARLINGTON (4-4-2)
7 Brown: Confident display capped by a good one handed save from Rodgers.
6 Austin: Some misplaced passes, but otherwise steady.
7 White: Didn’t give anything away alongside his defensive partner
7 Foster: Constant encouragement from the back
7 Purdie: Proved he is more comfortable at the back than in midfield.
6 Poole: Went off with a shoulder injury just as he was getting into the game
6 Kennedy: Came more into the game in the second half
6 Ravenhill: Didn’t really impose himself on the midfield
8 BURGMEIER: Showed how versatile he can be
7 Clarke: Missed a good chance, but a typical busy game for him
7 Hatch: Powerful header for the winner

Subs: Griffin (for Poole 22 mins): Wasted some good possession at times 5 Hulbert (for Ravenhill 58): Played with a point to prove against his old club 6 Blundell (for Clarke 81 mins) (not used): Kazimierczak, Proudlock

PORT VALE (4-4-2): Anyon 6, Collins 6, Prosser 7, McCombe 6, Griffith 6, Richman 6 (Perry 87), Taiwo 6 (Davidson 70, 5), Howland 6, Dodds 5 (Taylor 61, 5), RODGERS 8, Richards 6. Subs (not used): Martin, Lawrie

MAN OF THE MATCH
FRANZ Burgmeier – maybe didn’t mean to score in the manner he did, but his ability to play on both flanks is invaluable