Manchester City 3 - 3 Burnley: Scots make their point

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 20:29

Wright-Phillips 43, Toure 55, Bellamy 58 Alexander 19 pen, Steven Fletcher 32, McDonald 87

FORMER Dundee star Kevin McDonald had the last word in a six-goal thriller made in Scotland and brought Burnley their first away point of the season and condemned Manchester City to a fifth successive draw.

Graham Alexander's penalty and a goal from former Easter Road star Steven Fletcher effort seemed to have Burnley well placed for their first top-flight away win since April 1976. But Shaun Wright-Phillips breathed fresh life into the home side two minutes before half-time and Kolo Toure and Craig Bellamy seemed to have set the stage for a City win in 15 raucous minutes either side of the break.

However, after spending almost all the second period on the back foot, Burnley found a final burst of energy three minutes from time. Substitute David Nugent crossed for Fletcher, whose nod back invited McDonald's gleeful finish.

Tomorrow, the Blues fly out to Abu Dhabi for a friendly with the United Arab Emirates and promotional work in a place which is now a home from home. Manager Mark Hughes wanted three points to cushion the landing and impress his new owners, who have spent 200 million on the club so far.

With Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor returning from injury, there appeared little chance of resistance from Burnley but, as owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak are learning, there is more to English football than spending fortunes on players.

The squad Owen Coyle has assembled cost a fraction of the one Hughes has, but they have endeavour, team spirit and an eye for an opportunity. And it was with a sense of purpose that Scottish internationalist Alexander drilled home the penalty after Joleon Lescott had handled Tyrone Mears' right-wing cross.

Any sense that was a fluke was quickly exposed, as was Wayne Bridge's defending, when Fletcher doubled the visitors' lead. Bridge has struggled since his 10m move from Chelsea last January and Hughes may want a replacement. The England international found himself upfield and helpless as Robbie Blake's quick free-kick opened up City. Of the three men who filled the left-back area where Bridge was supposed to be, it was Chris Eagles who received the ball. Fletcher's run was timed to perfection and the cross made his finish easy.

Few of City's expensive recruits were impressing. But Wright-Phillips was and it was no surprise he was the man who struck two minutes before the break, his shot flicking off Stephen Jordan to raise hopes of a comeback.

Within 13 minutes the seeds of a revival had reached full bloom. First Lescott got behind Clarke Carlisle at the far post to reach a Gareth Barry free-kick and steer it into Toure's path. The City skipper's tap-in was simplicity itself.

City's third was not quite a replica but the cross from Wright-Phillips, who had been sent galloping into the box by Stephen Ireland, was from the same side. And Bellamy was also in oceans of space as he fired home the fifth goal of a very impressive season.

The Welshman set up Carlos Tevez as Burnley struggled to cope but the Argentina star was off target. When Adebayor just failed to reach Martin Petrov's cross there was a sense Burnley would have one last chance to save the game. And McDonald did not let his team down.