U21S MATCH REPORT: TAMWORTH 4-0 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets well beaten at The Lamb

2025-10-21T22:37:13.343Z

U21S MATCH REPORT: TAMWORTH 4-0 BURNLEY

Young Clarets well beaten at The Lamb

2025-10-21T22:37:13.343Z

Young Clarets well beaten at The Lamb

Burnley U21s exited the National League Cup at the group stage by way of a 4-0 defeat to Tamworth on Tuesday night.

A young Clarets XI were outplayed by their more experienced non-league opponents in the Midlands, with three of the four goals coming after the half-time break.

There were three changes to the side that started Friday night’s Premier League Cup victory over Stockport County, with Marley Leuluai stepping into the back five.

In an attacking sense, second-year scholars Brandon Pouani and Kian McMahon-Brown were given starting berths alongside Ellis Clark.

The hosts took the lead after just 16 seconds when Beck-Ray Enoru raced through the middle of the Clarets defence and finished expertly into the bottom left corner.

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The Lambs continued that momentum and Tom Tonks’ long throw was causing problems, with Stefan Mols heading straight at Lewis Forshaw from one of them.

Andy Farrell’s side gained a foothold first way through the first half, though, and started to pop the ball around nicely without creating too many chances of note.

After McMahon-Brown fired over on 30 minutes, Pouani had our best chance of the opening 45 shortly before its conclusion.

Excellent skill from Oli Pimlott kept the ball in play and after a neat interchange with Charlie Veevers, the 17-year-old worked Tamworth ‘keeper Leon Phillips to his right.

The second half started in end-to-end fashion and after Pimlott cleared off the line, he thought he’d restored parity after latching onto Leuluai’s inch-perfect pass.

His celebrations were curtailed by the assistant referee’s offside flag, though, and that felt like a pivotal moment in the tie after what transpired next.

U21S MATCH REPORT: TAMWORTH 4-0 BURNLEY - Image 2

Farrell turned to his bench for the first time in the 62nd minute, replacing Pouani and Clark with Vernon Masara and Zach Johnson respectively.

However, two goals in four minutes then killed the game soon afterwards and substitute Harvey Sayer was first to strike, advancing onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and finishing well.

The third goal was a long ball from substitute ‘keeper Jas Singh that took an unfortunate deflection into the path of Mols, who dinked it beautifully over the onrushing Forshaw.

McMahon-Brown made way for Benji Wetshi before the hosts completed the scoring through Oliver Lynch’s header five minutes from time.

Another late switch saw Jesse Williams replace Murray Campbell for the final stages including five added minutes, which were a non-event at the end of a frustrating night in front of 368 supporters.

Burnley: Forshaw, Campbell (Williams 85), Pimlott, Leuluai, Ashton, McEvilly, Veevers, Brierley, McMahon-Brown (Wetshi 81), Pouani (Masara 62), Clark (Johnson 62)

Unused Substitutes: Cooney

Tamworth: Phillips (Singh 46), Curley, Tonks (Maher 58), Bates, Enoru (Sayer 3), Rye, Mols (Nyakuhwa 82), Donkor (Brown 82), Cullinane-Liburd, Lynch, Ponticelli

Unused Substitutes: Duku, Hollis

Goals: Enoru 1’, Sayer 63’, Mols 66’, Lynch 84’