CHARLIE Austin made his first appearance of pre-season for Burnley last night, exactly a week after the collapse of his Premier League move to Hull City, while midfield target David Jones played the last 15 minutes after being named on the bench as a trialist.
Striker Austin played the first 45 minutes of the friendly with Airtricity Premier Division side Cork City as Sean Dyche’s Clarets rounded off their summer training camp with a comfortable win.
Austin had chances to make his mark, but it was his first-half strike partner Danny Ings who made the difference by scoring one and having a hand in the other.
The 20-year-old opened the scoring after just five minutes, expertly controlling Ross Wallace’s right wing cross before finishing well.
Ings helped to make it 2-0 ahead of the hour mark, driving forward before moving the ball out to Wallace to deliver again, with trialist Scott Arfield well placed this time to slot home.
Ings made the most of his first chance last night.
The same could not be said of the opportunity to double Burnley’s lead almost midway through the first half, which he would have expected to finish. As was Austin, who had been presented with a good chance in between both Ings efforts but headed wide.
The Clarets were dominant but struggled to convert those statistics into goals.
Left back Ben Mee limped off following a collision with Danny Furlong and was replaced by Danny Lafferty in the 20th minute, later emerging with an ice pack on his knee.
The substitution failed to disrupt Burnley’s flow and after a surging run through midfield Wallace had a good left-foot shot saved by goalkeeper Kevin Burns.
Austin, keen to get back in the goal groove at the earliest opportunity, continued to probe but was off target with a half chance.
Cork, who were beaten 6-2 by West Ham last Monday, fielded a youthful side and came under a steady stream of pressure.
They responded before the break but Andy O’Connell’s header which was comfortably gathered by Tom Heaton before Stephen Kenny headed wide.
After Dyche rang a few changes, Arfield added the second in the 58th minute thanks to good work from Wallace and Ings.
A sharp Ings had the chance to make it 3-0 scrambled off the line before he was replaced by Jones – a free agent following his release from Wigan.
Vokes completed the scoring in the 85th minute with the aid of a deflection.
BURNLEY: Tom Heaton (Alex Cisak 46), Kieran Trippier (Luke O’Neill 64), Kevin Long, Jason Shackell (Michael Duff 46), Ben Mee (Danny Lafferty 20), Brian Stock (Keith Treacy 46), Steven Hewitt, Ross Wallace (George Porter 64), Scott Arfield, Danny Ings, Charlie Austin (Sam Vokes 46).
Subs not used: Alex Coleman, Nick Liversedge.
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