Burnley

Burnley 1-0 Ipswich
Chris McCann headed home late on to fire 10-man Burnley to within two points of Championship leaders Cardiff. Ipswich had the upper hand in the first half and Brian Jensen did well to palm away former Claret Alan Lee's drive. Simon Walton spurned more chances as he saw Jensen turn aside his volley and then blazed another shot over the bar. McCann broke the deadlock when he nodded in Alan Mahon's lofted pass but the win was marred when Micah Hyde was sent off for two bookable offences. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burnley manager Steve Cotterill: \"The players don't give up. I put Alan Mahon on for something a bit different - but it was quick thinking from a centre-half, a good run by Mahon and a fantastic ball in for Chris McCann. \"I thought McCann was immaculate. He saved me making lots of changes which might help us. \"He did not let me down, or himself; he is a good young player.\" Ipswich manager Jim Magilton: \"I am disappointed for the players who worked their socks off and deserved better. \"It was a bitter pill to swallow. But at the end of the day if you switch off in the way we did you deserve to be punished. \"It was a great cross, poor marking and we go home with no points. End of story.\" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burnley: Jensen, Sinclair, Duff, McCann, Harley, Elliott (Mahon 78), James O'Connor, Hyde, Jones (Spicer 84), Gray, Noel-Williams (Lafferty 87). Subs Not Used: Coyne, Thomas. Sent Off: Hyde (90). Booked: Hyde, James O'Connor. Goals: McCann 90. Ipswich: Supple, Bruce (Sito 58), De Vos, Naylor, Richards, Harding, Legwinski, Noble, Walton, Lee, Roberts. Subs Not Used: Drobny, Currie, Haynes, Peters. Booked: Bruce, De Vos, Lee. Att: 11,709. Ref: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).

Cardiff v Burnley
Stephen McPhail is available for Cardiff after his red card against Colchester was overturned. Kerrea Gilbert (shoulder) and Steve Thompson (Achilles) are missing, but if England striker Alan Smith agrees to a loan move in time he could feature. Stephen Foster is back for Burnley after a one-match ban, but on the down side Micah Hyde is now suspended. Wayne Thomas is pushing for a start after knee trouble, but John McGreal remains out with his own knee injury.

Cardiff 1-0 Burnley
Cardiff extended their lead at the top of the Championship to three points after a scrappy win at Ninian Park. Midfielder Riccardo Scimeca scored his fifth goal of the season midway through the first half with a 20-yard cracker. Frank Sinclair and Wade Elliott were then denied by home goalkeeper Neil Alexander, but the visitors created little after that. Stephen McPhail almost doubled Cardiff's lead after the break but his 30-yard shot fizzed over just the bar. Cardiff: Alexander, Chambers, Purse, Loovens, McNaughton, Parry (Flood 34), McPhail, Scimeca, Ledley, Campbell (Johnson 74), Chopra. Subs Not Used: Howard, Kamara, Gunter. Booked: Chambers. Goals: Scimeca 23. Burnley: Jensen, Thomas, Sinclair, Duff, Harley, James O'Connor, Elliott (Mahon 66), McCann, Jones, Gray, Noel-Williams (Lafferty 82). Subs Not Used: Coyne, Spicer, Foster. Booked: Gray, James O'Connor, Sinclair, Lafferty, McCann. Att: 15,744 Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Coventry v Burnley
Coventry have giant striker Kevin Kyle available after suspension, but defender Marcus Hall is out as he serves a one-match ban. Hall's absence could open the door to a surprise return for Andrew Whing, who is back at the Ricoh Arena after a two-month loan spell at Brighton. Burnley will again be without Andy Gray, who is not expected to return until February after a foot injury. A number of players are close to suspensions but will still play

Burnley v Sunderland
Burnley boss Steve Cotterill will be without full-back Jon Harley and midfielder James O'Connor. Both serve one-match suspensions after collecting their fifth yellow card of the season in the defeat at Coventry. Sunderland keeper Darren Ward is expected to return in place of Martin Fulop after missing last week's win over Luton through illness. Toby Hysen may feature after recovering from a calf injury, striker Chris Brown is in contention after an ankle injury.

Burnley 0-0 Derby
Derby dropped out of the Championship automatic promotion places after being held to a goalless draw at Burnley. Clarets' keeper Danny Coyne was the busier of the two, twice producing saves to deny Rams Matthew Oakley. Neither side managed to get a firm grip on the game but Chris McCann wasted a chance to give Burnley the lead when he fired wide from close-range. Gifton Noel-Williams missed a final chance to win the points for Burnley, firing wide from Wade Elliott's corner.

Barnsley 1-0 Burnley
Martin Devaney's incisive first-half finish helped push Barnsley five points clear of third-from-bottom Hull City. Devaney burst into the area to collect Daniel Nardiello's pass and fire past Brian Jensen on 30 minutes. Grant McCann had hit the woodwork for Barnsley on four minutes when his curler bounced back off the crossbar. Burnley had another escape when Sam Togwell's shot hit the post, though Wade Elliott's rattled the woodwork for the visitors with a second-half header. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barnsley caretaker-boss Simon Davey: \"It was a tough game, we got the goal when we needed to. We were unlucky not to put more away. \"It was a hard-fought game and we deserved to win it. The commitment from the players was fantastic. \"It is always good when a player comes in and gives you a goal like that. I am pleased for goalscorer Martin Devaney.\" Burnley manager Steve Cotterill: \"In the second half we dominated the game and I felt we should have gone on and got something. \"But I have just admitted to the players for the first time that it looks like we miss Andy Gray. \"Andy is a big void for anyone to fill and we have missed him. Losing you main striker is a big problem.\" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barnsley: Colgan, Hassell, Atkinson, Kay, Austin (Heckingbottom 34), Devaney, Togwell, McCann, Kyle Reid, Hayes (Knight 87), Nardiello (Richards 87). Subs Not Used: Letheren, Williams. Booked: Kay. Goals: Devaney 30. Burnley: Jensen, Foster, Thomas, Duff, Harley (Hyde 76), Elliott, McCann, James O'Connor, Jones (Garreth O'Connor 83), Lafferty (Mahon 76), Noel-Williams. Subs Not Used: Branch, Spicer. Booked: Duff, Hyde. Att: 12,842. Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).

Burnley v Stoke
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller is rated doubtful for the match at Burnley after picking up a knock on Saturday. The Potters are also without midfielder Lee Hendrie, who has returned to Aston Villa, but Vincent Pericard could start alongside Mamady Sidibe in attack. Burnley boss Steve Cotterill is expected to tinker with his side after losing to struggling Hull on Saturday. Kyle Lafferty and John McGreal could start after replacing James O'Connor and Stephen Foster at the weekend.

Burnley re-sign Blades' Akinbiyi
Burnley have re-signed striker Ade Akinbiyi from Premiership side Sheffield United in a £750,000 deal. The 32-year-old, who left Turf Moor less than 12 months ago, has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal with the club. Burnley manager Steve Cotterill said: \"I'm absolutely delighted to bring Ade back as I'm sure the supporters and his team-mates will be. \"We look forward to welcoming him back but need to let him settle back into the club that loves him.\" Akinbiyi joined Sheffield United last January for a then club record fee of £1.75m but has made only five appearances in the Premiership this season. The Blades will receive £650,000 for Akinbiyi with a further £100,000 payable in the summer. Cotterill, whose side are mid-table in the Championship, now intends to make Akinbiyi a central figure in his plans for promotion. \"This is just the kind of lift we need at this moment, probably for Ade as well,\" Cotterill said. \"He is a great character. He will need to time to settle in though as he hasn't played much in the last year.\"

Celtic bid for striker Lafferty
Celtic have tabled a £500,000 bid for Burnley's 19-year-old striker Kyle Lafferty and the teenager would welcome a January move to Glasgow. The 6ft 4in youngster is a Northern Ireland international, having already won seven caps for his country and scored one international goal. "Celtic are a huge club and I'm honoured to be the subject of a bid," Lafferty told SSB. "I grew up supporting Rangers but that wouldn't stand in my way." Lafferty has bagged four league goals for Burnley this season, making 11 starts and 13 appearances as a substitute. "Obviously there's a long way to go but I'll be talking to my club and my agent," added Lafferty, who moved to Turf Moor from NFC Kesh in the summer of 2004. "I'll also have to have a long chat with my mum and dad. "Celtic are massive and the lure of European football is very appealing."

Terriers move to snap up Sinclair
Huddersfield are set to sign Burnley defender Frank Sinclair on a month's loan, with a view to a permanent move. Former Clarets skipper Sinclair opted to move after recently losing his first-team place at Turf Moor. Sinclair, 35, started almost 100 games for Burnley after signing in 2004, following earlier spells with Chelsea and Leicester. Boss Peter Jackson told Town's website: "He's got lots of experience and will add a bit of steel to the defence."

Jensen off Burnley transfer list
Burnley have taken keeper Brain Jensen off the transfer list at Turf Moor. The 31-year-old had been a regular for the Clarets since his arrival from West Brom in summer 2003, but was placed on the list in January at his own request. Burnley boss Steve Cotterill said: "To be fair to him, he has absolutely trained his socks off since he's been out of the team. "Brian has accepted what has gone on. He's come back in the team now and done very well."

Coyne unsure over Burnley future
Burnley goalkeeper Danny Coyne could leave the club in the summer to boost his international career with Wales. Coyne, 33, won the last of his 10 caps against the Republic of Ireland in March - and on returning to Burnley lost his place to Brian Jensen. "I am out of contract in the summer and in football you never know what is going to happen. I will keep an open mind and see," Coyne told SSB. "I need first-team football, hopefully here but if not then somewhere else." Since Jensen replaced Coyne in goal the Clarets have lost one of seven games. "It has been a frustrating season," added Coyne. "I started the campaign with a knee injury but got back to full fitness and was back in the team when I went away with Wales in March. "When I came back, the manager had decided to change a few things around and rested all of the players who had been away with their countries. "The team was on a bad run so he needed to change something. And it worked, which was good for the team but unfortunate for me." Coyne, who has previously played for Tranmere, Grimsby and Leicester, fears he is unlikely to play for the Clarets first-team again. "We are at Sunderland on Friday and at home to Coventry on the final day of the season and it would be great to play again before the season is out, but that is up to the gaffer," said the goalkeeper. "Every player in my position wants to play for their country and when you have been there you want to play again and again. "But Wales boss John Toshack is going to want a goalkeeper to be playing for his club before he picks him for his country. Saturday club matches are your bread and butter games." On Friday, Coyne will come face-to-face with his rival for the Wales number one jersey, Sunderland's Darren Ward. And, while Ward will be looking to take another step towards the Premiership, both keepers may also have in mind a summer clash with the Czech Republic and their undoubted number one keeper. "There are some big games coming up and the Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium would be a good one to be involved with," said Coyne. "Petr Cech is the best in the world at the moment and he has the whole package for a goalkeeper. He just makes it look so easy. "I hope I will be playing it that game and I hope to get another chance with Burnley before the season is out - but that is down to the gaffer."

Burnley recruit goalkeeper Kiraly
Burnley have signed Hungary international goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly on a two-year deal, with the Clarets having an option for a third year. The 31-year-old was recently released by Crystal Palace after 111 appearances in three years at Selhurst Park. He originally joined the Eagles from Hertha Berlin in 2004, and also had a loan spell at Aston Villa last season during a goalkeeping crisis. Kiraly is Clarets boss Steve Cotterill's first summer signing.

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