Source: FOOTYMAD
Hat trick brings star billing for Big Chris
I don't think there was any doubt who was going to be the winner of the Man of the Match or the player ratings after Chris Iwelumo hit a hat trick in last Saturday's 4-3 win against Preston North End. Iwelumo gave Burnley an early lead to score his third goal in three home games since signing for the Clarets in the summer from Wolves, and two goals in the last few minutes, our second and third, completed his hat trick.He convincingly won the Man of the Match, polling 51.8% of the vote with Andre Bikey, our current Player of the Season leader, coming second with a 28.8% share. Jay Rodriguez, who got that last minute winner, took 4.3% of the vote and third place.Iwelumo was again a comfortable winner in the player ratings. HIs rating of 8.37 out of 10 was the second highest we've had all season, behind Bikey's 8.45 in the season opener against Nottingham Forest.Bikey was pushed into fourth place this time, behind two of the substitutes who had such an influence on the game. Jack Cork came second with a rating of 7.57 and just behind him was Jay Rodriguez who had a rating of 7.41 out of 10 to again take third place.Iwelumo gets the maximum six points towards the Clarets Mad Player of the Year and there are two points each for Bikey, Cork and Rodriguez.Ahead of the game, Bikey held an eleven point lead at the top of the table over Clarke Carlisle and Wade Elliott in joint second place. That lead has now been reduced to ten points with Big Chris now in second place.Voting is currently in progress for the Man of the Match at the Middlesbrough game and will close at the end of Friday.The Current Table22: Andre Bikey12: Chris Iwelumo9: Clarke Carlisle & Wade Elliott6: Chris Eagles4: Jack Cork2: Brian Jensen, Jay Rodriguez, Steven Thompson & Ross Wallace1: Graham Alexander, Leon Cort & Dean Marney
