Burnley Outfoxed in 2-1 King Power Defeat

The Clarets are still looking for their first points of the season on the road after going down 2-1 to Leicester City on Wednesday night in the King Power Stadium. Burnley had taken the lead as early as the 10th minute as well thanks to a rare goal from Dean Marney and the Clarets went into the break 1-0 up. A sucker punch from David Nugent though gave the Foxes an equaliser just two minutes into the second half and ten minutes later the home side were ahead thanks to a goal by Vardy. 2-1 it remained sending the Clarets down to 19th spot with a pretty dismal six points from six games. Burnley are now just one point off the drop zone and five points off a play-offs spot with another tricky away game, this time at Derby coming up on Saturday.

Things may have been different had leading goal-scorer Charlie Austin been fit enough to play. He however had picked up a knock to his hip ahead of the game and did not make the eighteen. At least there was some good news for Austin this week when it was announced that the Press Association had reconsidered the ‘own goal ‘against Peterborough at home last Saturday and would now award it to Austin allowing him to claim his hat-trick. Nevertheless it was a bitter blow not to have Austin start against the Foxes and Nigel Pearson`s men must have been buoyed by the news.

Michael Duff was also sidelined with an Achilles injury so the starting eleven and bench in the end had an unfamiliar feel to it compared to recent games. Brian Stock made his first Championship start with Paterson our lone recognised striker up front. Cameron Stewart was also preferred to Wallace and our eighteen in summary was as follows :

Grant, Trippier, Shackell, Edgar, Mills, McCann, Marney, Stock (Mee – 61), Stanislas, Stewart, Paterson

Subs: Jensen, O’Neill, Mee, Bartley, Hewitt, Wallace, Vokes

Northampton referee, Dean Whitestone got the game underway. It was Leicester who looked the brighter of the two teams in the early stages although most of their chances came from long-distance efforts. Marshall dragged a shot wide and then Grant saved an effort from Knockaert before Burnley in their first meaningful attack of the half found they were 1-0 up after just ten minutes.

Paterson got the better of St Ledger turning him and running onto a pass from Trippier before pulling the ball back for Marney to unleash a first time shot from the edge of the box which curled into the top corner of the net. Marney had waited nineteen months for a goal in the Championship and now he could celebrate in style! The goal lifted Burnley`s confidence and with Brian Stock commanding in his role as holding midfielder the Clarets began to take control and put together some sweet passes.

Leicester now had to respond after conceding their first Championship goal at home this season but in the first half, Burnley effectively kept them at bay. Defending well and looking dangerous on the break, the Clarets could easily have increased their lead. Schmeichel had to save from both Mills and Marney with the home crowd now getting restless and edgy as Burnley continued to put the Foxes under pressure. Leicester had their moments, Grant saving yet another long range effort this time from Marshall. The only real threat though came with five minutes to go with former loan striker, David Nugent curled an attempt onto the bar.

With the home fans clearly frustrated and angry at half-time, Burnley should really have taken advantage but two minutes into the second-half, Leicester equalised and of course typically it had to be Nugent who scored! The striker had not scored in eleven games so it was tempting fate not to expect him to score against the Clarets especially since he always scores against us in fact in five games against Burnley so far! Marshall chucked a long throw into the box, Vardy got a flick on and Nugent pounced to bounce home a scuffed volley from close range.

That goal simply lifted the Foxes and now they had the upper hand. Moving up a gear, Leicester made the Clarets look nervous and they began to wilt under the pressure. Grant kept out former Fleetwood striker-cum-winger, Jamie Vardy with a fine save but it was only a matter of time before Leicester got their noses in front. This time Vardy made no mistake when he controlled Anthony Knockaert’s pass and netted from a tight angle to make it 2-1 to the Foxes in the 57th minute. His shot though did take a deflection off Shackell which wrong-footed Grant but it was nothing less than Leicester deserved. Just past the hour mark, Howe decided to freshen things up bringing on Mee for Stock and Vokes for Paterson. Stewart and Stanislas were now supporting the new loan striker, Sam Vokes up front but both wingers also came close to scoring after putting their efforts wide.

Burnley were now throwing men forward in an effort to get back in the game and it was perhaps inevitable, Leicester could take advantage on the break. In one attack Nugent released Drinkwater on goal and it needed Stewart, tracking back to combine well with Grant to save the day and keep the Clarets in the match. With ten minutes to go, Grant came to the Clarets rescue again, stopping a fierce drive by Knockaert. Vokes badly needs a goal and he came close twice in the last five minutes of this game. Vokes first pounced on a miscued header by Wes Morgan but could only steer his shot against the post much to the home crowd`s relief. In the final minute though Vokes came even closer, after latching onto a Marney pass, but Schmeichel was alert to the danger coming out to smother the shot. The ball rebounded off Shackell`s shins and away to safety with Leicester in the end holding out for a narrow victory.

Match Stats

Leicester City: Schmeichel, De Laet, Konchesky, Morgan, St Ledger, Drinkwater, Marshall (Waghorn – 75), James, Knockaert, Vardy (Dyer – 75), Nugent (Futacs – 89)

Subs Not Used: Logan, Whitbread, Danns, Beckford

Goals: Nugent 47, Vardy 57

Booked: Yellow Cards for Nugent, De Laet and Knockaert

Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Shackell, Edgar, Mills (Wallace – 75), McCann, Marney, Stock (Mee – 61),Stanislas, Stewart, Paterson (Vokes – 61)

Subs Not Used: Jensen, O’Neill, Bartley, Hewitt

Goal: Marney 10

Booked: Yellow Card for Paterson

Possession: Leicester 50%, Burnley 50% (Source: BBC Sport)

Ref: Dean Whitestone(Northampton)