PHOTOS: Bury 0, Burnley 1

STRIKER Danny Ings marked his 20th birthday with a late winner in Burnley's pre-season friendly with Bury at Gigg Lane.

The birthday boy raced on to Keith Treacy's piercing pass in the 85th minute before executing a delightful, chipped effort over substitute keeper Cameron Belford, his second goal of the pre-season campaign.

Until that point a goalless draw seemed the likely outcome, though the Clarets enjoyed ample possession, creating several clear openings, throughout the 90-minute period.

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The first half certainly wasn't inspiring but Burnley's performance was composed and methodical.

The pace of the clash against the League One opposition was laboured, not surprising for a fixture nothing more than a training ground experiment in only the second semi-competitive clash of the campaign.

Clarets boss Eddie Howe opted for an alternative combination to the starting XI from Altrincham, sticking with just Joseph Mills, Ross Wallace and Junior Stanislas.

Again the Championship side worked on the ethic of building from the back, and doubling up on the full-backs with Mills and Kieran Trippier employed in very advanced roles up the field.

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Both sides seemed confident in possession, but the away side worked the first opening when Alex MacDonald sliced wide from the edge of the box after linking up with Stanislas and Charlie Austin.

Austin then went close to adding to his two goals at Moss Lane when he headed just over the angle from a measured Mills centre, before Brian Jensen gathered comfortably from a speculative David Worrall attempt.

In all fairness to the hosts they weren't afraid to take the game to the Clarets and probably created the best chance of the opening 45 minutes. Worrall's low cross crept in to the path of Shakers skipper Steven Schumacher but the midfielder found the stand with a ferocious effort though he had time, space, and the target at his mercy from inside the box.

There was moments of intricacy from the Clarets, various fast-paced passages of one touch football. And a move starting with Ben Mee, continued by a clever flick from Stanislas in to the path of MacDonald, with Wallace and Trippier also getting in on the action, was almost finished off by Austin though he could only graze the ball with his forehead.

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Mills was the most impressive component of the first half; confident, determined and agile in possession. It was this intrepid desire to break forward that led to Burnley's closest opportunity to breaking the deadlock. After beating Schumacher and Phil Picken, the duo were forced to hack him down before Stanislas's set-piece whistled past Trevor Carson's near post.

Trippier tested Carson from distance and Jensen saved low to his right after Shaun Harrad turned and shot inside the penalty area as the half progressed, but the two sides went in level 0-0 at the interval.

As expected Howe made wholesale changes in the second half, opting for a new system with three centre backs accompanied by wing backs.

The change in formation saw Bury's line-up forced to disperse, allowing the Clarets more room in the middle of the park. Ings and Treacy, who played off Martin Paterson, particularly enjoyed the space allowed on the ball.

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Bury went close to breaking the deadlock early in the second period; Peter Sweeney's well-driven corner was glanced on at the near post by Schumacher but Lateef Elford-Alliyu failed to oblige with the vital touch.

But the second half was all Burnley's, with the hosts struggling to break out of their own half. The deadlock was almost broken when Treacy's crossfield pass in to Danny Lafferty saw him beat Picken before rolling the ball in to Paterson on the edge of the six-yard box, but the striker failed to connect.

New skipper Jason Shackell was commanding at the back and was ever vocal. The Clarets rearguard seemed more assured under his expert guidance, and that confidence spread throughout the team. Treacy tested Carson with a piledriver as the Clarets pressed.

Howe's side cleverly worked the gaps, formulating neat triangular passages of play and, after threatening on various occasions, finally broke the deadlock when Treacy's pin-point long ball found Ings who's first touch was immaculate and with his second he delightfully lifted the ball over Belford and into the back of the net.

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Burnley played out the final moments before Mathieson brought an end to the proceedings.

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