Preston Work-Out Fits The Bill For U23s

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Clarets hit back to draw 2-2 in training-ground friendly at North End

2020-11-17T16:46:04.305Z

Preston Work-Out Fits The Bill For U23s

Clarets hit back to draw 2-2 in training-ground friendly at North End

2020-11-17T16:46:04.305Z

Boss pleased with progress as lessons learned with second win

Jimmy Dunne topped up his match fitness with a 90-minute run-out as he helped the Clarets’ Under-23s draw 2-2 in a bounce game at Preston North End.

Dunne – who has been in the match-day 18 for every game of Burnley’s Premier League season following two starts at the beginning of the campaign – partnered Bobby Thomas in the middle of the Clarets’ defence.

Josh Benson also brought a taste of first-team experience to the Clarets’ line-up, which hit back to secure a draw with goal from two trialists in the second half.

Preston Work-Out Fits The Bill For U23s - Image 1

North End – who included half-a-dozen senior players for the first hour – led 2-0 as goalkeeper Connor Ripley scored 20 minutes into the second half at Preston’s Euxton training ground.

But two goals in a 15-minue burst levelled the scores as the Clarets kept ticking over nicely between games in Premier League Two.

“When we get a blank week like that, we need to fill it with games,” said Under-23s’ boss Steve Stone.

“There are gaps for the internationals and our lads haven’t got enough games.

“We need to fill them with games likes this and Preston had a lot of experience in their ranks, so it was a fabulous work-out for us.

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“Jimmy Dunne came in alongside Bobby Thomas, who need games, and Josh Benson as well, which is good for them to get minutes.

“They might be needed in the first team, around the bench, so they have to come to these games and show what it’s about and they did that.”

A fortnight after an excellent 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, the Clarets return to competitive action next Monday when Stone’s side entertains Fulham at the County Ground.

And they will benefit from a real test against a Preston side, which led at the break when Josh Harrop glanced in a near-post free-kick.

Ripley then added a freakish second goal with a wind-assisted clearance which bounced over the head of Burnley keeper Marc Richter.

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But with North End making multiple changes the Clarets finished on top, the lively Richardson almost winning it when the teenager – whose header from a Benson free-kick had been Burnley’s best first-half effort – shot at Ripley.

“Lewis was back in up front and looked sharp and is getting better game by game,” added Stone.

“I’m looking for them to work harder and win football matches. It’s starting to look like a team.

“It’s starting to look better after the difficulties around Covid.

“You get a bit of unity amongst themselves and the boys are bonding together, which has been difficult because most haven’t trained together.

“It’s onwards and upwards. We’re looking forward to Fulham now and building on what we’ve done.”

Burnley: Richter; Fountaine (Dodgson 70), Thomas, Dunne, Trialist; Trialist, Benson, Goodridge, Thompson (Tucker 60); Richardson, Mumbongo (Trialist 60).