Monday 1st May 2000 : Burnley match reactions from both camps

Roy McFarland underlined the way United failed to take their chances against Burnley on Saturday. He rested striker John Taylor and gave rookie Zema Abbey only his second start but the U's were sunk by two goals from the division's top scorer Andy Payton.

"All the games will be decided on who takes their chances. Burnley took theirs and we didn't," McFarland told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

But although he felt the move for Burnley's opening goal should have been stopped by referee Mark Warren for a foul, he acknowledged the quality of Payton's finishing: "It was a foul on half-way on Scott Eustace but the referee didn't see that and the next thing we know the ball's in the back of our net," said McFarland, "But it was a great bit of skill in the 18-yard box from Andy Payton."

The Telegraph says Payton is keen to end the season as the division's top marksman but promotion is his number one priority. The win took the Clarets into second place and the striker commented, "I suppose we couldn't have done any more. We got three points, which is all we could ask for, and we just want to get three points next week and forget about anyone else.

"I think we thoroughly deserved it in the first half. It was like wave after wave of attack and then we got one goal and then another one - when Cookie was unlucky to hit the post and I had a tap-in - and we were cruising really. But forget the game, we were just happy with the three points."