OVER the years, following the Clarets to Cardiff has become a triumph of hope over expectation for Burnley’s supporters.

Only once in the 16 years since the turn of the century have Burnley come away from the Welsh capital with a maximum return — and that was way back in the second half of the 1999/00 promotion season when goals from Steve Davis and Andy Payton helped secure a 2-1 April Fool’s day win at Ninian Park for Stan Ternent’s men.

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In the ten games since, Burnley had drawn two, lost eight, scored four and conceded 20. It was, in other words, hard to see any reason why Black Friday would not continue over 24 hours and become Bleak Saturday.

The weather certainly played its part; high winds and swirling rain doing little to raise either the hopes or spirits of those who had made the long trip down from East Lancashire.

The opening half-hour was every bit as scruffy and ugly as the conditions in which the game was played; fluency and finesse were conspicuous by their absence.

The Bluebirds adopted a muscular approach, bombing Burnley with a succession of high and hopeful balls into the visitors’ box.

The Clarets, for their part, struggled for rhythm — although at least George Boyd forced a goal-line clearance from Matthew Connolly during that period.

Cardiff might have been a one-trick pony, but it was a trick that paid dividends as the Clarets succumbed to two aerial attacks either side of the break to found themselves in arrears.

Sean Dyche has often spoken of the “strong jaw” his team have and never was it more evident than in the last five minutes when his Clarets somehow managed to salvage a remarkable point from a game that looked all but lost.

Rouwen Hennings’ first goal for the club will have boosted his confidence no end, while Lady Luck did her bit, helping the ball over the line as Cardiff centre-back Connolly tragi-comically stumbled the ball over his own line.

Rousing and heartening though the comeback was, it could not mask the fact that Burnley are still a little light up top if Sam Vokes is not around to partner Andre Gray.

Despite his goal, Hennings has yet to show much that suggests he might prosper at this level.

Chris Long, meanwhile, although a willing and pacey runner, needs to develop a physicality to his game that will only come with natural development over time.

Let’s just hope that a few more days’ recovery time will see Vokes fit enough to beef up our frontline for the visit of our Lancashire rivals Preston North End next weekend.