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Danny Ings’ late equaliser gains Burnley a point against Aston Villa Danny Ings’ late equaliser gains Burnley a point against Aston Villa
(about 2 hours later)
A tricky couple of days for Aston Villa ended in frustration as Danny Ings’ late penalty denied them a victorious start to the post-Roy Keane era. A tricky couple of days for Aston Villa ended in frustration as Danny Ings’ late penalty denied them victory to start the post-Roy Keane era.
After the decision by Keane, who was the assistant manager, to leave Paul Lambert brought the first-team coach, Scott Marshall, on to the bench in the hope of masterminding a first win in nine games and opening up some daylight above the bottom three. Keane’s decision to leave his position as assistant manager saw Paul Lambert bring first-team coach Scott Marshall onto the bench in the hope of master-minding a first win in nine games and opening up some daylight above the bottom three.
Just as importantly, he gave a first start of the season to Joe Cole, 33, who showed he still has plenty to offer by giving Villa a first-half lead. Just as importantly he gave a first start of the season to former England midfielder Joe Cole, 33, who showed he still has plenty to offer by giving Villa a first-half lead. That lasted until four minutes from the end when Burnley’s renewed belief that they can beat the drop was evident again. They came charging back, earning a point when England under-21 international Ings converted from the spot to make it four goals in his last five games before almost winning it with an injury-time effort which hit a post.
That lasted until four minutes from the end but Burnley’s renewed belief that they can beat the drop was evident again as they came charging back, earning a point when Ings scored from the spot for his fourth goal in his last five games. “I wish I had Joe five years earlier,” Lambert said. “He was fantastic. For a guy that’s won a lot in the game, there was great enthusiasm. The young guys can certainly take a look at him.
Villa’s build-up to the game had been far from ideal after Keane’s sudden departure and their record at Turf Moor did not bode well for a change in their fortunes. Remarkably, Villa had not won at Burnley in 23 league games in a run going back to 1936. “It was the best we’ve played in quite a few weeks. It was a game that got away from us and we could have lost it in the end, which would have been a travesty.”
The fact that Burnley have had only two seasons in the top tier since then slightly skews that statistic, but having managed back-to-back victories only once in their last visit to the Premier League in 2009-10, this represented a major opportunity to make significant progress in their bid to avoid a repeat of that instant relegation. While Villa didn’t play like a side in trouble, points are ultimately what matter and Lambert still has to convince all of his side’s supporters that he is the man to lead the club into calmer waters. For most of the game the travelling support was magnificent in their backing for the team, although by the end there were some dissenting voices with Lambert again pledging to remedy the situation.
Sean Dyche was forced to make his first change of the season to the central defensive axis of Michael Duff and Jason Shackell, with a calf injury to Duff allowing the on-loan Manchester United defender Michael Keane to make his first Premier League start. He added: “These guys pay their money and I’ve got no problem with that. I know this football club is huge and the expectancy levels are massive. I’ll do the best I possibly can. It’s up to us to find the solution.”
The England under-21 international has had to be patient at Turf Moor since signing at the end of August, ironically, at a time when he is likely to have figured under Louis van Gaal due to the injury problems at Old Trafford. Had Burnley taken more of their late chances things could have been even more awkward for Lambert.
Having waited so long for a chance, Keane was quickly involved in a start in which both sides attacked as if it was the last 10 minutes of a cup tie. Their manager, Sean Dyche, said: “In the end with the chances we created you are scratching your head how we didn’t win it, but on the balance of the game it’s fair to say it was a close affair. They are certainly not a team that’s broken. There’s plenty of energy and a belief in them and some good players there.”
Gabriel Agbonlahor, one of only two players to have scored for Villa this season, carried an early threat and forced a corner with a deflected shot which Jores Okore met with a stabbed effort which bounced off Keane and was goalbound until Dean Marney cleared off the line. Villa’s build-up to the game had been far from ideal on the back of Keane’s sudden departure and their record at Turf Moor didn’t bode well for a change in their fortunes.Remarkably, Villa had not won at Burnley in 23 league games in a run going back to 1936, , although the Clarets had not managed three successive top-flight wins since 1975.
Marney then got in the way of a Ciaran Clark header from another Ashley Westwood header before Cole threaded a pass through for Agbonlahor to test keeper Tom Heaton. They have, though, had only two seasons in the top tier since then, both ending in relegation. That might have seemed their lot again a month ago but Burnley now look a different proposition, even if they had to ride their luck early on as Dean Marney made two blocks in front of goal to prevent on-loan Manchester United defender Michael Keane scoring an own-goal on his first Premier League start, and to deny Villa centre-back Ciaran Clark.
At the other end Ings used his pace to stretch the Villa defence, while Michael Kightly was just off target with a volleyed effort which flew across the face of goal. But Villa’s persistence finally paid off seven minutes before the break when Cole put them ahead with his first goal since December, steering the ball home at the near post from Andreas Weimann’s perfectly timed pass, to give Villa only their seventh goal of the campaign. Tom Heaton also thwarted Gabriel Agbonlahor but only Villa’s seventh goal of the season arrived seven minutes before the break when Cole, recruited on a free transfer in the summer, steered the ball home at the near post from Andreas Weimann’s pass. The script was written but Burnley spoiled Cole and Lambert’s happy ending. Michael Kightly was denied a leveller by Brad Guzan with nearly an hour gone but when When Jores Okore pulled down substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz with four minutes to go, Ings stayed calm to equalise from the spot.
It was no more than they deserved but Burnley refused to accept a fourth home defeat of the season readily and gave everything in the second half to try to get back on terms before Ings finally managed it.
Villa certainly did not sit on their lead but were grateful to their goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, as he denied Kightly at the end of a superb run which saw the winger collect Ings’ flick and beat three defenders before failing at the final hurdle.
The substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz then almost scored with his first touch from a Kieran Trippier free-kick and with time running out made a vital contribution when he turned away from Okore and was pulled to the ground, allowing Ings to drive home the equaliser from the spot.
Ings even had time to win it but from Ross Wallace’s pass after a superb first touch poked his shot against the post, before Jutkiewicz headed wide in a tumultuous finish.