Young striker Wes Fletcher showed his goal-scoring instincts as the Clarets handed joint leaders Manchester City only their second defeat of the season in the Barclays Premier Reserve League North.

Fletcher pounced twice in the first half with close-range finishes as Burnley collected their third win of the campaign to move into the top half of the table.

But the Clarets were also grateful to goalkeeper Diego Penny, who produced an inspired performance capped by a double penalty save.

City had started the brighter with David Ball wasting an early chance before the home side were awarded a penalty after 20 minutes when Christian Kalvenes was harshly penalised for a high foot against James Poole.

Penny superbly kept out Ball's spot-kick but was then in the firing line again when the referee ordered the effort to be re-taken.

This time Penney went left and the Peruvian guessed right again as he out-witted Ball to make another fine stop.

And three minutes later the Clarets went ahead thanks to Fletcher's poaching prowess as the 19-year-old swivelled to hook the ball home after David Edgar had headed down a Joe McKee corner.

Things then got even better for Burnley as Fletcher doubled the lead within four minutes, again popping up in the right place to fire home after goalkeeper Gunnar Neilson had dropped a Brian Easton cross.

A fantastic run by McKee almost produced a third goal but Penny was soon back in the action as he saved from Alex Nimey and then made an excellent block to beat out a Poole piledriver.

Penalty hero Penny

Ben Hoskins cleared a header from Ben Mee, one of five City players back from England under-20 World Cup action, off the line in stoppage time but Burnley then enjoyed a dominant spell at the start of the second half.

Alex-Ray Harvey forced Neilson to save a long-range effort before Fletcher clipped a cross from Fernando Guerrero just wide and Penny almost scored a freak goal with a clearance which caught out opposite number Neilson.

The Clarets could not sustain the momentum and City hit back with Ball getting another chance but once more Penny was his equal and it was the visitors who went closest to a third when Fletcher was just unable to steer in a magnificent cross from substitute Michael King to claim his hat-trick.

City finally found a way past Penny in the last minute when Robert Mak slotted home but Burnley would not be denied a welcome victory.

Manchester City: Neilson, Trippier, Cunningham, Boyata, Mee, Johnson (Tutte 68), Mak, Clayton (Marshall 68), Ball, Nimely (Ibrahim 68), Poole. Substitutes: Redshaw, Johansen.

Burnley: Penny, Hoskin, Kalvenes (King 69), Harvey, Kudiersky, Edgar, Eckersley, Easton, Fletcher, McKee (Knowles 75), Guerrero. Substitutes: Lund, Devenney, McEneaney.