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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 victory to start the post-Roy Keane era. | |
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 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. | |
“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. | |
“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.” | |
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. | |
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.” | |
Had Burnley taken more of their late chances things could have been even more awkward for Lambert. | |
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.” | |
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |