Eastwood on loan to Kettering

Eastwood has moved on loan to the Nationwide Conference leaders and was among the Poppies' substitutes on Saturday.

But Andy Payton proved himself less disposable as manager Stan Ternent admitted to a selection error in leaving his leading scorer on the bench for Burnley's clash with Reading.

The Clarets misfired badly in the first half as the Burnley boss replaced Payton up front with Graham Branch in a 5-3-2 line-up.

And it took Payton's introduction at half-time, allied to a more attacking approach, to breath some life into the home side who snatched a point from a 1-1 draw thanks to Brian Reid's last-minute goal.

"I think perhaps I picked the wrong team in the first half. I took a chance and left Andy out," Ternent admitted.

"He's had a little bit of a strain so that was down to me, the first half.

"He's had a bit of a problem with his back and it's like a transferred pain down his hamstring so I spoke to the physio about it and then I spoke to Andy.

"I felt it would be a good idea just to leave him on the line just to have a look at things."

Peter Swan missed the game with a calf strain.

"Swanny was a disappointment, I thought he would have been fit, but unfortunately he's had a reaction.

"He's had the problem on and off all season so I didn't want to take a chance and I didn't want to take a chance with Glen Little."

The absence of those two players meant Ternent pushed Branch into a forward position and countered for the lack of width with a wing-back formation.

But Burnley were woeful before an extensive half-time reshuffle brought them some reward for their adventure.

"We weren't here in the first half again. Second half, without playing particularly well, we created numerous chances and I thought their keeper made some fantastic saves," said Ternent. "If they had scored in the first half then you say 'fair enough' but in the second half they scored against the run of play and we were chasing our tails. But all credit to them for getting one in the last minute."

Ternent added: "We have been at the races for 45 minutes, we have been competitive for 45 minutes, and we created enough chances to win three games.

"They stuck at it and I think at the end we deserved a point but we have got to do better than playing for 45 minutes and it's down to me the first half, I accept full responsibility for that because I pick the team."

Burnley have now gone six home League games without a win, but Reid's goal at least prevented a third successive defeat at Turf Moor as the Clarets stayed 16th in the table.

"It could be an invaluable point at the end of the day," Ternent said.

"We would like to win at home and their keeper kept them in the game on numerous occasions.

"Some of his saves have been outstanding but 45 minutes isn't enough and we have got to take the bull by the horns at home and be a bit more adventurous perhaps.

"The fact of the matter is that we haven't got to lose sight that we still need in excess of 50 points so."

"Although we haven't won the game, we haven't lost so that was important because we could quite easily have come out on the wrong end of it. So let's be thankful for small mercies."

Eastwood, currently out of the first-team picture at Turf Moor, checked in for his second spell of Conference football as Kettering beat Telford, where he previously had a loan spell, to stay a point clear at the top of the table.

"I have let him go on loan to Kettering and I think that will do him a bit of good," said Ternent.

"We'll see what materialises from it, it's initially just to let him get a bit of first-team football."

The Clarets will bid to get back to winning ways at struggling Wycombe next Saturday, although suspensions are starting to bite.

Neil Moore is banned for the trip to Adams Park, and Steve Davis, booked on Saturday, is also facing a suspension.

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