MY ACCOUNT
Burnley surrendered a lead to draw 1-1 for the fourth time in five games as substitute Harry Clarke’s late header earned Stoke City a point at Turf Moor.
The Clarets controlled the game for large periods and looked to have done enough to earn the victory thanks to Connor Roberts’ first goal of the season early in the second half.
But Alex Neil’s side always carried a threat and struck late when Tariqe Fosu was afforded space to pick out Clarke at the back post and he headed past Aro Muric.
The point will feel a valuable one to the visitors on the back of a 4-0 home drubbing by Watford but for Vincent Kompany it continues a trend of his side being unable to close games out, a pattern which is hindering their push at the top of the table.
Burnley came closest to scoring in a low-key first period with Jay Rodriguez crashing a swerving, dipping effort against the top of the bar from 25 yards before Josh Cullen forced Josef Bursik into a fine save with the last action of the half with an effort from the edge of the box.
The Clarets made most of the running, with Nathan Tella and Josh Brownhill shooting tamely at Bursik, as Stoke failed to test Muric in the home goal.
But the visitors were resilient in defence and limited their hosts to shots from long range.
Neil’s side had the first opportunity of the second half when an errant Vitinho pass played in Tyrese Campbell but Muric stood tall at his near post to keep out the effort before he claimed a tame Liam Delap header.
Just as the Potters were finding some rhythm, Burnley struck. They nearly had the breakthrough when Bursik kept out Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ close range header with his face and, moments later, Roberts advanced down the right. He found Brownhill, who slid a lovely return pass into the penalty area for the Welshman to crash a shot past Bursik at his near post and give the home side a 54th-minute lead.
Stoke searched for a response and Muric was alert to deny Delap when the visitors broke quickly and in numbers, while at the other end Brownhill forced a save from Bursik.
As time ticked down it seemed the hosts had done enough to earn a fourth home win of the season but Clarke planted a header past Muric from Fosu’s cross with three minutes of normal time remaining.
