Manchester City 5 Burnley 0

I grimaced. Surely not. The Clarets have improved, but not that much, so even to the most optimistic fan a five-goal drubbing of City must have been out of the question.

And there was no way Burnley would concede five goals to a City side that had hit them for six in their last meeting in March. Was there?

Sadly the answer was yes as the Clarets capitulated after half-time against a goal-hungry City side that must fantasise about playing Burnley every week.

"We want six," shouted the ecstatic home fans after Kevin Horlock had made it three from the penalty spot with half-an-hour still to go.

And they almost got their wish as Gareth Taylor and Mark Kennedy, with his second, added further goals and Danny Allsopp hit the post. It was all chillingly reminiscent of that bleak night at Turf Moor last season when Burnley appeared to have hit rock bottom.

This wasn't as bad, quite, but it was serious enough and there will have to be some major soul-searching done before Saturday's chance to redeem the situation against Chesterfield at Turf Moor.

The Worthington Cup has already gone for a burton thanks to this pasting and salvation must come in the League for the bubble of optimism surrounding the Clarets not to have been burst by the end of August.

It would be ludicrous to write anything or anyone off at this early stage of the campaign but Burnley simply must restore some credibility if all the talk of progress and improvement isn't to have a hollow ring.

Last night's second-half collapse, admittedly instigated by a slick and skilful First Division side, takes the focus away from a first-half performance which even City boss Joe Royle admitted could well have earned Burnley a lead but for some excellent goalkeeping by Nicky Weaver.

But games are played over 90 minutes and the overall picture wasn't good.

When Kennedy struck just after half-time, to add to Shaun Goater's 37th-minute opener, Burnley were already facing an uphill task to pull the tie round in the second leg in a fortnight's time. By the time they finished, it was men against boys and City will just have to turn up at Burnley for the second leg to guarantee their place in the second round.

Since losing to Royle's men last season, Burnley had tasted defeat again only once prior to last night.

And along the way they had come from behind on a handful of occasions to snatch important results.

But once Micky Mellon had been denied an equaliser by Weaver on the stroke of half-time that never looked likely against a City team that ruthlessly showed the gulf in class between a club that has escaped the Second Division and one that's aspiring to.

In his efforts to formulate a promotion-winning side, manager Stan Ternent has recruited heavily. And with Andy Cooke missing through injury and Paul Smith left on the bench, nine of last night's starting line-up were Ternent's signings.

He has understandably said that new teams take time to gel but results like this cut down on the breathing space. The manager again opted to go with one recognised striker in the shape of Andy Payton but this time detailed Mellon for a more forward role ahead of the midfield.

And Mellon responded with an impressive opening 45 minutes in which he was able to link the play together and threaten the City goal himself with a couple of worthwhile efforts.

Burnley never looked entirely convincing at the back but with Lenny Johnrose adding some bite in the middle of the park they rattled City at times. Payton tested Weaver with his head and his right foot before the City keeper made a superb double-save to deny Tom Cowan after the re-called Clarets defender had latched onto Paul Cook's free-kick.

And that proved crucial as City went ahead five minutes later when Kevin Horlock strode onto a through-ball and crossed for Goater to roll home his fifth goal in three games against Burnley.

If anything that was against the run of play but Burnley couldn't make their chances count and went in a goal behind after Mellon, presented with the opening by Lee Crooks' mistake, couldn't stab his shot past the on-rushing Weaver with an equaliser up for grabs.

Royle gave his team a half-time wake-up call and they responded to snuff out the Clarets cup hopes.

Kennedy, in acres of space following a corner, sweetly curled in the second and then after Payton and Alan Lee had gone close to reducing the arrears the rout really began.

Mitchell Thomas dragged down Paul Dickov to concede a penalty which Horlock converted and after Royle had decided to give his front men a rest, substitute Gareth Taylor headed the fourth as Burnley's defence was torn to shreds.

With the Clarets now being made to look a shambles, Allsopp hit the woodwork before the impressive Kennedy rounded things off by pinging home the long-range effort he had been lining up for the duration of the second-half.

City march on. For Burnley, Saturday is now their cup final. Burnley (4-4-1-1)

Crichton;

(from right) West, Davis, Thomas, Cowan;

Little (Grant 67), Cook (Jepson 64), Johnrose, Branch (Lee 52);

Mellon;

Payton.

Subs not used: Smith, Armstrong.

Booked: Crichton

Man City (4-4-2 manager Joe Royle)

Weaver;

(from right) Crooks, Wiekens, Morrison, Tiatto;

Cooke (Bishop 57), Whitley, Horlock, Kennedy;

Dickov (Allsopp 65), Goater (Taylor 65).

Subs not used: Jobson, Wright (gk).

Goals: Goater 37 mins, Kennedy 48, 82, Horlock (pen) 60, Taylor 73

Booked: Kennedy Attendance: 11,074

Referee: Michael Pike

(Barrow)

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.