U21s Match Report | Latics 0 Burnley FC 2

LATICS COULDN’T MAKE THEIR CHANCES COUNT AS THEY FELL TO A 2-0 DEFEAT AT HOME TO BURNLEY.

 

Latics were left to rue missed chances as a clinical Burnley side ran out 2-0 victors at Christopher Park in the Professional Development League after goals from Tom Tweedy and Tommy McDermott.

Chris Brown made three changes to the side that drew at Stoke City, with James Knott, Oscar Harris and the returning Chris Sze replacing Llyton Chapman, Trialist and Asamoah Jr.

 

The opening five minutes saw both sides attempt to gain a foothold as the left-side partnership between Leo Graham and Luke Robinson showed their ability early. Some great interplay from the duo earned a free kick and provided Tom Costello with an opportunity to deliver, which forced the keeper into an early save five minutes in.

 

Costello’s ability from the dead ball was shown when Oscar Harris’s relentless running up front earned the Tics a free kick, which the dependable Costello managed to curl in towards the head of Graham, who couldn’t keep his headed effort down.

 

The visitors did eventually venture into the Latics half within the first half an hour, with Tweedy going closest after twisting and turning on the edge of the area before sending an effort towards goals, but the Trialist 'keeper dealt with it well. 

 

Some great play from O’Boyle and McHugh allowed the former to find Harris with his back to goal. The tall striker aimed to get his shot off but could only manage to get a snapshot off, which forced Lewis Forshaw into a good save with 15 minutes of the first half remaining.

 

Latics could and probably should have been a goal to the good at the break after Graham and Sze combined with some brilliant passing to allow Graham to cushion the ball across the area but behind the arriving Costello.

 

The second half started as the first finished, with Latics on top. Some fantastic build-up from McHugh found a Trialist, who played inside to O’Boyle. He managed to get off an effort that was a whisker wide of the top left corner.

 

However, it was the visitors who took the lead when Tweedy controlled a cross from Alex Healy-Byrne and fired past the Trialist in the Latics goal, opening the scoring just five minutes into the second half.

 

Latics' dominance continued after the visitors' goal, with McHugh collecting the ball from the returning Sze and unleashing an effort that went just wide on the right post.

 

The visitors got their second of the afternoon with just their second effort of the half when McDermott dispossessed Costello in midfield and drove forward, eventually unleashing a powerful effort from just outside the area past the Trialist.

 

Latics pushed for a reply, with Graham going close after a trademark run from Christy Edwards allowed the winger the space to clip a ball to the back post, but Graham couldn’t direct his effort on target.

 

Burnley nearly had a fourth in added time as Joe Westley had the ball in the back of the net, but Latics were dealt a reprieve as the linesman’s flag denied the visitors their third.