REPORT: Burnley 1 MK Dons 1 AET (Burnley win 4-3 on penalties)

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Clarets hold their nerve to advance in FA Cup as goalkeeper Will Norris makes dream debut

2021-01-09T18:02:21.442Z

REPORT: Burnley 1 MK Dons 1 AET (Burnley win 4-3 on penalties)

Clarets hold their nerve to advance in FA Cup as goalkeeper Will Norris makes dream debut

2021-01-09T18:02:21.442Z

Cork Ready For Crack At The Cup - Image 2

Will Norris was the Clarets’ penalty shoot-out star as he enjoyed a match-winning Burnley debut.

Norris made his first appearance for the Clarets following his arrival from Wolves last summer with first-choice Nick Pope given the afternoon off.

And the 27-year-old made the most of the opportunity with two excellent spot-kick saves to take the Clarets into the fourth round of the FA Cup after they had twice come back from the dead.

It took a 93rd-minute equaliser from substitute Matej Vydra to take the tie into extra-time as League One MK Dons were denied a notable scalp.

And then after neither side could find a winner and Vydra had missed Burnley’s opening effort in the shoot-out, Norris came to the rescue and paved the way for a second cup win on penalties this season.

REPORT: Burnley 1 MK Dons 1 AET (Burnley win 4-3 on penalties) - Image 1

Sean Dyche’s men advanced in the Carabao Cup with five successful spot-kicks and this time four were enough as Matt Lowton, Dale Stephens, Josh Benson and Phil Bardsley all held their nerve to take the Clarets through – finally finding another way past inspired Dons’ keeper Lee Nicholls who did everything he could all afternoon to become a giant-killer.

Despite some cases of Covid in the camp and continued injury absentees, the Clarets went strong in their bid to avoid an upset.

There were five changes to the side that had beaten Sheffield United in Burnley’s last Premier League game and final fixture of 2020.

But they were all senior men coming into the starting line-up, with welcome returns from injury for Jack Cork and Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

Dyche Ready To Mix It Up For Cup - Image 3

Cork was starting for the first time since June in a new-look midfield quartet, alongside Dale Stephens, Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady.

And Cork looked like he’d never been away in a polished first-half performance which somehow ended with the Dons in front.

The side 44 places below Burnley in 16th spot in League One scored with their only effort on target before the break as Cameron Jerome powerfully headed home after Scott Fraser had flicked on Stephen Walker’s clipped cross.

And they held onto that advantage with 11 men on the pitch thanks to an over-turned red card decision in first-half stoppage time.

Experienced defender Richard Keogh palmed the ball out of the sky after looking to be caught out by a ball over the top aimed for Chris Wood.

REPORT: Burnley 1 MK Dons 1 AET (Burnley win 4-3 on penalties) - Image 3

Referee Jon Moss decided the Ireland international had stopped a goal-scoring opportunity but after an age studying the pitch-side monitor changed his decision and awarded a free-kick against Wood.

If that was a strange one, the Clarets still had only themselves to blame for letting the Dons off the hook, having had enough chances to all but book their place in round four with the minimum of fuss.

Nicholls was called into action inside the first 30 seconds as he touched a Wood header over the bar.

And that set the tone for the former Wigan youngster, who enjoyed an outstanding afternoon to stand in Burnley’s way.

With 10 minutes gone he saved at the feet of Ashley Barnes after the Clarets’ striker was given a clear run on goal and then made another fine stop to block a volley from Barnes following Stephens’ nicely floated pass.

Nicholls also gathered efforts from Stephens, Ben Mee and Gudmundsson but should have been picking the ball out of the net as James Tarkowski failed to turn in Mee’s header back across goal – hitting the post with his second attempt – and Wood nodded Bardsley’s cross wide of the target.

REPORT: Burnley 1 MK Dons 1 AET (Burnley win 4-3 on penalties) - Image 4

There was a feeling those misses may prove costly and so it appeared throughout an increasingly frustrating second half.

Again, MK Dons had limited sights of goal with Norris forced into just one meaningful save as he stood firm to block an effort from Walker.

But the visitors worked hard to hold what they had and limited the Clarets to fewer openings as they scrapped to get past the third round of the competition for just the fourth time in their brief history.

Nicholls was again a central character as he twice saved from Robbie Brady, who also went close with a fine first-time effort from Bardsley’s quickly-taken free-kick which he volleyed just over the top.

But the Clarets were never able to build up a sustained head of steam and their exit looked to have been confirmed when substitute Joel Mumbongo was denied a dream debut on his 22nd birthday when he raced onto Benson’s through-ball but couldn’t quite beat the inspired Nicholls, whose finger-tip saved looked to have taken his team through.

Dyche Ready To Mix It Up For Cup - Image 2

There was just time, though, for Vydra to save the day and again the lively Mumbongo was involved, heading down a Brady free-kick for the Clarets’ substitute to squeeze in his third cup goal of the season from the tightest of angles.

Vydra then looked to make the most of the reprieve as he threatened again just before the end of the first period of extra-time, Nicholls making a double save to deny the Czech international only moments after former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Ben Gladwin had rattled a post with a fierce long-range drive at the other end.

The Clarets went close to avoiding a shoot-out once more when Vydra pulled the ball back for Stephens, whose effort was deflected just wide two minutes after the re-start.

But despite both sides pushing for a late winner, it went to penalties with Norris and Bardsley stepping forward to take centre stage as Burnley moved into the fourth round for the fifth time in six years to get the new era of ownership at Turf Moor off to a successful start.

Burnley: Norris; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Gudmundsson (Glennon 83), Cork (Benson 72), Stephens, Brady (Lowton 99); Wood (Vydra 77), Barnes (Mumbongo 83). Substitutes: Pope, Nartey, Mancini, Thomas.

Booked: Pieters, Bardsley

MK Dons: Nicholls; Poole,Keogh, Lewington; Williams (Laird 62), Gladwin, Fraser, Sorensen, Harvie (Sorinola 68); Walker (Mason 62), Jerome (Johnson 81). Substitutes: Fisher, Davies, Jallow, Bailey, Smith.

Referee: Jon Moss

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