PHOTOS: Cardiff City 1, Burnley FC 0

BURNLEY missed out on the chance of joining Manchester United and last season's finalists Arsenal in the quarter-final stages of the Carling Cup following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Cardiff City.

Eddie Howe's side were punished for squandering early chances in the tie against the Bluebirds; Jay Rodriguez was the first to test the water as he latched on to Zavon Hines's lofted through ball but the striker's effort was deflected wide of Tom Heaton's near post by a recovering defender.

Keith Treacy then forced Heaton to push his bending shot wide for a corner and from the resulting set-piece Ben Mee, one of four changes in the Clarets starting XI, was denied by Heaton once more who sprung to tip the defender's header over the bar.

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But it didn't all go Burnley's way in Wales. Either side of that trio of Claret attempts both Joe Mason and Craig Conway had great openings to break the deadlock. Mason had time to pick his spot after being threaded through on goal but despite beating Lee Grant with a low effort, the ball whistled past the post.

Former Burnley loanee Peter Whittingham then provided a precise pass for Conway to latch on to but Grant denied the Cardiff City forward with a superb reflex save from his close range half-volley.

Rodriguez had a glancing header from Trippier's dangerous centre go close midway inside the second half before Cowie blazed over from Bluebirds skipper Mark Hudson's nod down towards the penalty spot on the half hour mark.

But the breakthrough came just before the interval when Mason took the ball in his stride on the angle of the penalty area before cutting back and bending a left-footed shot beyond Grant and in to the far corner.

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The second half failed to inspire, with chances for both sides few and far between. The Clarets pushed but without any cutting edge.

Grant tipped Whittingham's fierce drive over the bar in the 55th minute, Hines lifted an effort in to the home crowd behind Heaton's goal after his tenacity created the opening, Mee headed over from Ross Wallace's inswinging free-kick, Rodriguez watched his thumping, deflected effort from 20 yards flash past Heaton but beyond the far post while Brian Easton and substitute Marvin Bartley both missed the target in a desperate bid to find a Burnley equaliser.

But it was the Welsh side who progressed to the next round at the Cardiff City Stadium.