U21S MATCH REPORT: FLEETWOOD TOWN 0-3 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets book their play-off place

2025-04-25T14:14:37.500Z

U21S MATCH REPORT: FLEETWOOD TOWN 0-3 BURNLEY

Young Clarets book their play-off place

2025-04-25T14:14:37.500Z

Young Clarets book their play-off place

Burnley U21s secured a top two finish in this season’s Professional Development League North with a 3-0 victory over Fleetwood Town on Friday.

Goals from Tom Tweedy, Kian McMahon-Brown and Noah Adekoya earned Andy Farrell’s side a fifth straight win in all competitions at Poolfoot Farm.

There were three changes to the side that started Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Watford at Turf Moor, with Jon Ander Vilar Robinson returning to keep goal.

After their cameos off the bench against the Hornets, U18s Zach Johnson and Adam McCoy earned starts.

Alongside McMahon-Brown, Troy Savage and Oli Pimlott, who retained their places from earlier this week, there were five U18s in the starting XI and two more on the bench.

U21S MATCH REPORT: FLEETWOOD TOWN 0-3 BURNLEY - Image 1

The young Clarets started brightly, with McMahon-Brown working Fleetwood ‘keeper Luke Hewitson and Tommy McDermott and Johnson shooting narrowly wide in the opening 15 minutes.

The Cods weren’t without chances of their own though, with their trialist striker curling an effort just the wrong side of the post before Alex Healy-Byrne denied him with a strong block.

However, it was Burnley who took the lead with just over 30 minutes on the clock.

After Hamzat Balogun was denied by a fine close-range save, Tweedy was on hand to rifle the ball into the roof of the net with his left foot.

McMahon-Brown almost made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time, but after producing a fine touch to control a loose ball, his lobbed finish landed on top of the net.

The 16-year-old did manage his fifth goal in just six days shortly before the hour, picking out the bottom right corner with the help of a deflection.

Fleetwood went straight up the other end in search of a goal, but instead their trialist striker was sent off for a kick out at Joe Ashton off the ball.

U21S MATCH REPORT: FLEETWOOD TOWN 0-3 BURNLEY - Image 2

Manager Andy Farrell shuffled his pack soon afterwards, with Pimlott, Ashton and McMahon-Brown making way for Logan Pye, Adekoya and Vernon Masara.

10-man Fleetwood did their best to find a way back into the encounter, using their size advantage and long throw as a weapon throughout.

A double change with 20 to play saw Joe Bauress and Julien Vetro replace McCoy and McDermott, before Adekoya put the gloss on the result in the closing stages.

Following a set piece, Vetro teed up the centre-back to net his first U21s goal on the turn from close range.

The victory takes Burnley’s points tally to 56 from 30 matches. With one more game to play, they are out of reach of 3rd-placed Hull City and unable to catch leaders Sheffield United.

Next up is a trip to Queens Park Rangers in the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup on Wednesday 30th April. Kick-off at MATRADE Loftus Road is 7pm.

Burnley: Vilar Robinson, Balogun, Pimlott (Pye 61), Healy-Byrne, Ashton (Adekoya 61), Savage, Johnson, McCoy (Bauress 72), K. McMahon-Brown (Masara 61), McDermott (Vetro 72), Tweedy

Fleetwood Town: Hewitson, Cirino, Jones (Ruocco 53), Mansfield, Oliver, Slater, Sackey, Smith, Trialist, Taylor (Currie 46), Cross-Adair

Unused Substitutes: Bellizia, Currie, Elmore, Eccles

Goals: Tweedy 33’, McMahon-Brown 57’, Adekoya 83’