Nicky Hayen on the brink after gutless Lincoln display

Burnley fans turned on Nicky Hayen as well as Alan Pace as the Clarets threw up a gutless display to lose heavily to Lincoln City.

Despite taking the lead through Andreas Hountondji, the Clarets wilted meekly to lose 4-1 to the newly-promoted Imps.

While the fans vented their anger towards Pace and the club’s board once more, with further banners and chants, the travelling Clarets also directed a “you’re getting sacked in the morning” song towards Hayen, who is surely on the brink of being fired following a disastrous start to the season.

The players weren’t spared either, with a chant of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” loud and clear on a number of occasions.

After 12 games, Burnley remain rooted inside the Championship’s bottom three having won just one game.

Armando Broja was given the nod up front in the absence of Jamie Vardy, who missed out with a back issue from the 2-1 defeat to Wolves.

Nicky Hayen made two changes from that game, as Dastan Satpayev also came in for the injured Jacob Bruun Larsen, who is facing 10-12 weeks on the sidelines with a stress fracture.

Youngster George Brierley was named among the substitutes, with Burnley missing 15 first-team players. Enock Agyei was also involved for the first time this season.

Ben Amos, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Jordan Beyer, Bashir Humphreys, Shurandy Sambo, Josh Cullen, Hannibal, Aaron Ramsey, Jaydon Banel, Mike Tresor, Michael Obafemi, Ashley Barnes and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.

As for Lincoln, Tom Hamer and Freddie Draper were both suspended, with the Imps making three changes from their 2-2 draw with Millwall.

The newly-promoted outfit are known for their direct, in-your-face approach, so it was no surprise when, after four minutes, Sonny Bradley slotted home from a deep free kick. But fortunately for Burnley, they were rescued by the linesman’s flag.

Gregoire Coudert, favoured to Max Weiss despite his recent errors, was then forced into an early save, grasping Reeco Hackett’s low effort that zipped off the wet turf just before Ben House could slot home on the rebound.

The Clarets were forced into a change after only 13 minutes with Broja limping off clutching his thigh to boos from the away end and chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt”, as Andreas Hountondji entered the fray.

There was more discontent from the Burnley end as Kyle Walker was once again dispossessed in the right-back area, just as he was against Wolves, only on this occasion they got away with it, with Lincoln’s eventual cross being cleared behind for a throw.

Midway through the half, Hayen’s side finally threatened and, somewhat surprisingly, it came via a set piece.

Dastan Satpayev worked a clever short corner, with his pullback reaching Max Alleyne who sidefooted towards the bottom corner, only for Hackett to clear off the line.

Satpayev was then slipped through on goal down the left channel, only to be denied by the legs of Imps goalkeeper George Wickens.

Six minutes before the interval, Burnley edged their noses in front thanks to first-half substitute Hountondji, scoring his first goal for the club.

The forward couldn’t really have missed, in fairness, as Lucas Pires’ corner beat everyone and fell at his feet a couple of yards out from goal.

The visitors looked to grab a quick second before half time, but Largie Ramazani’s curling strike deflected wide of the far post.

They were unable to see it through to half-time though, with Lincoln levelling in first-half stoppage-time through Ben House.

Like Hountondji, he couldn’t really have missed, with Burnley inexplicably allowing a long throw to bounce in their own box, gifting House a relatively simple finish at the back post.

Kyle Walker, who appeared to switch off to allow House to ghost in, was hooked at half-time, with Connor Roberts taking his place as well as the captain’s armband.

Burnley were given an early let-off at the start of the second-half, as Mikkel Ladefoged was played through on goal and was able to lift the ball over the onrushing Coudert, only to lift his effort up and over the bar too.

They clearly didn’t heed the warning, because only a couple of minutes later Lincoln completed their comeback to lead.

Once again their defending left a lot to be desired, failing to clear their lines inside the box allowing Ladefoged to lash home high into the roof of Coudert’s net.

The Clarets had been well off the pace since the restart and two quickly became three, as Dom Jefferies got in on the act.

It was rinse and repeat in terms of Burnley’s defending, as they failed to deal with a routine ball into their box, Alleyne failing to clear his lines allowing Jefferies to slot home from just inside the box.

It led to a rendition of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” from the away end, while the “Pace Out” banner seen at Turf Moor against Wolves last week was again clearly visible at the front of the stand.

Angry Burnley fans even turned on Hayen on the hour mark when Satpayev’s allotted 60 minutes were up, seeing him replaced by Oliver Sonne rather than Marcus Edwards, prompting chants of “sacked in the morning”.

The second-half performance was utterly spineless, with Burnley failing to land a glove on their opponents, simply wilting since being pegged back in first-half stoppage-time.

It came as no surprise at all when the Imps added a fourth, Ladefoged - a 6ft 7ins striker - was left unmarked to head home from a right-wing cross.

Hountondji almost made life interesting 14 minutes from time when he was denied a second by the post, but in truth Burnley’s race was already run. The dice had been cast long before that.

The Clarets had the chance to at least add some respectability six minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Hountondji, but Wickens dived the right way to deny Marcus Edwards.

It was perhaps the most fitting end to a dreary and miserable afternoon in Lincolnshire, as Burnley’s season went from bad to worse. But surely now changes are afoot?

TEAMS

Lincoln: Wickens, Coubis, Elerewe, Bradley (Towler), Reach, Konak, McGrandles (Varfolomeev), Jefferies (Oyegoke), Hackett, House, Ladefoged (Street)

Subs not used: Gauci, Elder, Olaofe, Ogbene, Bayliss

Burnley: Coudert, Walker (Roberts), Ekdal, Igor, Pires, Alleyne, Hatate, Laurent, Ramazani, Satpayev (Sonne), Broja (Hountondji)

Subs not used: Weiss, Brierley, Raghouber, Agyei, Castell, Edwards

Referee: Thomas Parsons

Attendance: 10,558 (1,410 Burnley)