Pitch invasions the only talking-point

FA Cup Fifth round/Burnley 0 Blackburn Rovers 0: With riot vans parked outside and police helicopters hovering above, it is tempting to imagine the chief constable of Lancashire spraying a mouthful of coffee across his desk when he heard this tie would go to a replay.

The two sides will renew hostilities tomorrow week when police leave will again be cancelled and the shopkeepers of Blackburn will board up their windows and hope for the best.

One can only hope the second contest is more fulfilling than this largely under-whelming affair, one that will require more paperwork for the increasingly overworked and exasperated personnel at the English Football Association.

Turf Moor is the sort of place where Status Quo and Dexy's Midnight Runners still get played over the tannoy, and some of their fans are clearly stuck in a 1980s time warp judging by the standing ovation for the idiot who ran on to the pitch in the final few minutes, squaring up to Brad Friedel and Robbie Savage before knocking off a policeman's helmet as he was finally collared.

At least the streaker who held up play earlier in the second half did not seem intent on anything more than exposing a Brit-abroad potbelly, while the pitch invader at half-time had nothing in mind other than seeking attention. However, the Blackburn manager, Mark Hughes, was scathing of the security arrangements: "Given the increase in policing and stewarding for this game I find it very disappointing that three people have been allowed to enter the playing surface.

"In this day and age that is very poor. I've not seen that sort of thing for a long time and it should be looked at. The guy who came on at the end seemed to be looking for a fight and, for all we knew, he could have been carrying a knife."

There was also the sight of the linesman collecting coins at the feet of Burnley's Jean Louis Valois as he prepared to take a corner in front of the visiting supporters.

"It's always disappointing when things like this happen," said David Edmundson, Burnley's chief executive. "You can't legislate for everything. These incidents were always likely to be bubbling beneath the surface. If someone is determined to throw something or get on the pitch they will do it."

A shame these events should take precedence over on-field events, but this was one of those local derbies that failed to live up to the pre-match hype. Or get anywhere close. The supporters may detest each other but the hatred never extended to the pitch. Even firebrands like Savage and Paul Dickov seemed to be on their best behaviour on a day with scarcely any bad tackles but plenty of bad football.

"We didn't play for a draw," argued Burnley manager Steve Cotterill, "but we didn't want to get beaten in front of our own fans."