Preston North End 3-0 Burnley: Much-changed Clarets dumped out of the FA Cup in miserable fashion

Scott Parker’s much-changed side were well off the pace and can have no complaints, having been well beaten by their Lancashire rivals.

The damage was done in the first-half, where former Claret Robbie Brady and Milutin Osmajic – the man alleged to have racially abused Hannibal during the league fixture at Deepdale two weeks ago – put clear daylight between the two sides.

The game was then put to bed 15 minutes from time in the second-half when Will Keane added a third to complete Burnley’s misery, becoming the first time to score more than once again Parker’s men since Wolves in the Carabao Cup back in August.

While the Clarets remain unbeaten in 21 games in the league, this is still the first defeat Burnley have tasted since going down to a 1-0 setback to Millwall at the start of November.

Parker opted to keep Hannibal out of his squad on Burnley’s return to Deepdale, just a fortnight after the midfielder alleged to have been the victim of a racist comment from Osmajic.

The PNE forward, who started for the hosts, disputes the claims and an FA investigation is ongoing.

Burnley made nine changes in total from their 4-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday, with Maxime Esteve and Lucas Pires the only two to keep their places.

The likes of Vaclav Hladky, Joe Worrall, Oliver Sonne, Jonjo Shelvey, Manuel Benson and Luca Koleosho all came into the starting XI.

Jordan Beyer, Aaron Ramsey and Mike Tresor all remain sidelined alongside Bashir Humphreys, who is set for a spell out with a quad injury.

As for Preston, they made four changes from their 2-1 defeat to Coventry City last weekend.

Osmajic, who was ignored by every Burnley player during the pre-match handshakes, had a chance to give the hosts the lead inside the opening 60 seconds when he got in behind. But, while being loudly jeered, the forward was only able to lash well wide from an admittedly tight angle.

Much like the league game, it was Preston who enjoyed the upper-hand in the early stages, getting on top and in Burnley’s faces.

Brad Potts tested Hladky with a volley, watching the ball come down from the sky before lashing towards goal, but the stand-in Burnley keeper was equal to it.

We had to wait until the 21st minute for Burnley’s first attempt on goal, and even then it was well off target as Manuel Benson blazed well over after one of his trademark cut-ins from the right.

Despite making nine changes, it was always going to take something special from Preston’s to breach Burnley’s defence. But that’s exactly what happened on the half-hour mark.

After Lucas Pires had been penalised for giving away a needless free-kick, former Claret Robbie Brady stepped up and picked out the top corner from 25 yards, beating Hladky’s despairing dive.

Now trailing for the first time since coming from behind to beat Norwich City on December 15, this was now a big test for the Clarets. How were they going to react?

After a slight lull in proceedings, Burnley could easily have levelled for minutes before the break when Luca Koleosho surged into the Preston box only to drag his shot wide of the far post.

Burnley were made to pay for that miss when, with only a minute of the first-half remaining, Osmajic predictably scored to double Preston’s lead - the forward drilling a low shot past Hladky after the visitor’s defence had been breached. The Montenegro international celebrated by cupping his ears in front of the away end.

The Clarets could easily have reduced the arrears in stoppage time when Freddie Woodman failed to claim a cross, but Koleosho once again failed to find the target, albeit on this occasion his goalbound shot deflected wide of the upright.

Despite a pretty horrid first-half display, Parker opted not to make any changes at the interval, instead giving his starting XI an extra 10 minutes to make a difference. But alas, it wasn’t to be.

Instead, Josh Laurent, Zian Flemming and Ashley Barnes were all introduced, with Jonjo Shelvey, Luca Koleosho and Manuel Benson the three to make way.

Just prior to the changes, Preston ought to have put the game to bed for good with a third, but Kaine Kesler-Hayden wastefully skied over the bar.

Burnley could have set up a nervy final 25 minutes or so when they created a good opening for Flemming, but the substitute’s curling effort was well saved by Freddie Woodman, who tipped wide.

Any fading hopes of a comeback were all but dashed 15 minutes from time when Will Keane added a third, steering home from close range from Andrew Hughes’ cross.

TEAMS

Preston: Woodman, Kesler-Hayden, Lindsay, Gibson, Potts, McCann, Ledson (Greenwood), Thordarson, Brady (Hughes), Keane (Riis), Osmajic (Evans)

Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Tarry, Meghoma, Carroll

Burnley: Hladky, Sonne, Worrall, Esteve, Pires, Shelvey (Laurent), Brownhill, Sarmiento (Edwards), Benson (Barnes), Koleosho (Flemming), Foster (Banel)

Subs not used: Green, Egan-Riley, Roberts, Redmond

Referee: John Brooks