Burnley lost at Turf Moor for the first time in over a year as the Clarets went down 2-0 to Championship leaders Leicester City.

Sean Dyche’s men couldn’t find a way back into the game after goals in either half from former Burnley striker David Nugent and substitute Chris Wood gave the away side the victory.

Burnley, who were forced to replace Sam Vokes early on through injury, now trail the Foxes by six points going into the final seven games of the season.

Sean Dyche made one enforced change from the Clarets’ midweek win over Doncaster with Michael Kightly replacing the suspended Dean Marney.

While visiting manager Nigel Pearson made no changes to his Leicester team that drew 1-1 with Yeovil on Tuesday.

The afternoon got off to a worrying start for the home side when, within the first five minutes, Vokes appeared to tweak his knee and was soon replaced by David Edgar.

With chances few and far between inside the opening 15 minutes, Burnley very nearly created the first opportunity of the game when David Jones was almost played in behind the Leicester defence by Ashley Barnes after the midfielder had won back possession and made a clever run.

Vokes’ early replacement, Edgar was straight into the action for the Clarets, making an important block to prevent Danny Drinkwater’s edge-of-the-box shot travelling any further goalwards after 18 minutes.

Leicester were almost presented with their first clear chance on 27 minutes after confusion in the Burnley defence allowed Jamie Vardy win the ball and race through on goal however Jason Shackell showed pace and strength to put pressure on the striker and the Clarets cleared.

Leicester also made a change inside the first half as Wood replaced Jamie Vardy.

And Nigel Pearson’s replacement made an immediate impact; setting up Nugent to put the visitors a goal up and score his ninth goal against the Clarets 10 minutes before half time.

The New Zealand international ran at the Burnley defence before laying the ball off to ex-Claret Nugent whose good footwork on the edge of the area allowed the striker space to curl a left footed effort past Tom Heaton.

The Clarets pushed for an equaliser towards the end of the first half with Kightly at the heart of the action.

The winger had fired two speculative efforts over the bar before Kasper Schmeichel’s fluffed clearance fell to Scott Arfield who threaded Kightly in down the right in a move that forced the Leicester stopper to make a clever save with his feet to thwart a low cross.

Leicester almost doubled their lead within the first five minutes of the restart when Anthony Knockaert found space in front of the Burnley defence and saw his sweetly struck left footed strike from range cannon back off the crossbar.

Seconds later the Clarets had an opportunity to level the scores when a slip from Wes Morgan allowed Arfield to race through on the Leicester goal however, the young Scot’s shot from a tight angle was palmed away by Schmeichel.

Nigel Pearson’s men were giving Burnley as little time in possession as they could and, on 59 minutes Wood sent a volleyed effort over the bar.

Then after 68 minutes, Shackell was forced to intercept a close range shot from left-back Jeff Schlupp that looked goalbound after the Clarets had failed to clear a dangerous attack.

Moments after Kightly had cut in from the right and had his curling shot punched away by Schmeichel, Wood put Leaicester 2-0 up with 78 minutes gone.

A long ball over the top of the Burnley defence was chased by the striker and, when Michael Duff struggled to clear the danger, Wood pounced; striking a powerful volley that looped over Heaton into the net.

A late effort from substitute Keith Treacy saved comfortably by Schmeichel was not enough for Burnley to mount a late comeback and the contest ended 2-0 to inflict the Clarets first home defeat in 23 matches.

Burnley: Heaton, Baird, Mee, Duff, Shackell, Jones, Arfield, Kightly (Treacy, 79), Stanislas (Wallace, 62), Barnes, Vokes (Edgar, 8)

Subs not used: Cisak, Long, Lafferty, Stock

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Drinkwater, Morgan, James, Vardy (Wood, 34), Schlupp, Knockaert, Mahrez (Hammond, 87), Wasilewski, Nugent (Taylor-Fletcher, 72)

Subs not used: King, Dyer, Moore, Logan

Goals: Nugent 35, Wood 78

Attendance: 16,794 (2,860 away)

Referee: C. Foy

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	LEE	9	11
16	BUR	9	10
17	FUL	9	8

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	LEE	9	11
16	BUR	9	10
17	FUL	9	8

Burnley 0 Leicester 2

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