Source: Team_Talk
Late Heskey header denies Clarets
Burnley captain Steven Caldwell had put his side ahead with a ninth-minute header from Robbie Blake's free-kick.[LNB]That looked like being enough until Heskey popped up with four minutes to go to convert James Milner's cross.[LNB]History, and there was a lot of it, had been against Villa from the start as they had not won at Burnley in their previous 22 league meetings - their last was in 1936 - and were without an away victory in four games going into this fixture.[LNB]Prior to the game, the home record of Owen Coyle's side was bettered only by Chelsea and Manchester United.[LNB]The Clarets were tenacious yet controlled - epitomised by veteran midfielder Graham Alexander - while striker Steven Fletcher proved a handful for experienced centre-back Richard Dunne all afternoon.[LNB]Backed by a strong wind Burnley took an early lead and looked like holding on to it until Heskey's intervention.[LNB]Blake's inch-perfect inswinging free-kick from wide on the right may have just skimmed off Dunne but Caldwell was up challenging and he headed powerfully into the net despite Brad Friedel getting a fingertip to it.[LNB]Republic of Ireland defender Dunne's week showed no signs of improving when he was booked for a late challenge on Fletcher as the striker threatened to burst through the inside-left channel.[LNB]Andre Bikey's dipping volley from Fletcher's lay-off was only marginally over the crossbar and when Steve Sidwell deflected Alexander's long-range effort for a corner the unmarked Bikey headed wide when he should have hit the target.[LNB]Ten minutes before the interval Chris Eagles received a few choice words from Alexander after needlessly giving the ball away in the opposition's half, allowing Villa to spring a counter-attack which almost caught out Burnley.[LNB]Moments later Clarets goalkeeper Brian Jensen was almost embarrassed after racing out to the left edge of his penalty area only to miss the ball under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor.[LNB]The Villa striker laid off a pass for Ashley Young but he curled his shot over as Clarke Carlisle desperately tried to get back.[LNB]Burnley replied with Bikey's rising drive clipping Sidwell for another corner, which this time Friedel punched clear.[LNB]Seconds before half-time Ashley Young's corner picked out Milner at the far post and his pass across the six-yard area was fortuitously sliced behind by Alexander.[LNB]Five minutes after the interval Dunne was lucky to escape a second yellow card for pulling Fletcher's shirt on the edge of the penalty area, with Carlos Cuellar instead cautioned for fouling the Scotland striker.[LNB]Agbonlahor should then have scored soon after Tyrone Mears had curled his 20-yard free-kick wide, after Friedel's long punt was flicked on by John Carew.[LNB]The striker had only Jensen to beat but as he shot for the far corner the slightest of touches from the Dane diverted it around the post.[LNB]Immediately down the other end Blake forced Friedel to parry his stinging shot as the game became increasingly open.[LNB]Sidwell had half a chance to score from Ashley Young's viciously inswinging free-kick with 20 minutes to go but the ball flashed past the far post before the former Reading midfielder could reach it.[LNB]Burnley replaced Eagles with the powerfully-built Kevin McDonald while £12million summer signing from Middlesbrough Stewart Downing finally made his debut for Villa after an ankle injury when he replaced Sidwell.[LNB]It was the Clarets substitute who made the first contribution, setting up Fletcher for a fierce shot which Friedel tipped over.[LNB]Villa manager Martin O'Neill also threw on Heskey for full-back Luke Young late in the game and the England international salvaged a point in the 86th minute.[LNB]Milner collected Jensen's weak punch and curled a cross to the far post where Heskey held off Caldwell to head home the equaliser.[LNB][LNB][LNB]
