MATTY Pearson struck a last-minute extra-time winner to send Stanley through against Premier League neighbours Burnley.

John Coleman’s side matched their rivals and thought they’d won when Rommy Boco saw his header superbly saved by Clarets keeper Nick Pope.

But with penalties looming, full-back Pearson lashed home from 10 yards after a goalmouth scramble to send the Reds through at the expense of Sean Dyche’s weakened side.

East Lancashire’s big League Cup tie - remarkably the first competitive meeting between these two sides - didn’t live up to its billing until the late drama.

Dyche rang the changes from Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Liverpool, with only striker Sam Vokes surviving.

With the sun setting and the floodlights flickering into life, the hosts started brightly.

And they had the first effort on goal when on-loan Rovers winger John O’Sullivan got a head to Sean McConville’s cross but it was easily gathered by Clarets keeper Nick Pope.

Burnley’s Australian youngster Aiden O’Neill sent Michael Kightly clear with a great through-ball that was back-heeled in return, but his cross was cut out.

Then Lukas Jutkiewicz then tried his luck with a low cross but it rolled harmlessly across the six yard box.

Pearson found the side-netting for Stanley from a tight angle before Kightly was involved again at the other end, his header from Jutkiewicz’s cross lacking power.

Reds skipper Mark Hughes should have put side in front on 21 minutes when O’Sullivan sent in a cross and he found himself free at the far post but volleyed wide.

The game fell flat for a while, but it sprang to life 12 minutes before the break when Parish got in just ahead of Gudmundsson after Kightly’s clever pass.

And the winger was at it again when he wriggled free and fired in a low cross that Jutkiewicz was inches away from prodding home.

Seamus Conneely picked up a booking for dissent after a late tackle on Tarlowski and then looped a volley goalward that lacked power. It pretty much summed up the first half.

No changes at the break meant more of the same after the restart, although Burnley did show a bit more composure on the ball.

Vokes tested Parish with a dipping drive and the Clarets then broke when Hughes was caught upfield, Fredrik Ulvestad sending Vokes clear and his cross being headed wide by Jutkiewicz.

Dyche had seen enough and brought on Andre Gray in the 65th minute, and the striker was straight into the action as he was wrestled off the ball by Hughes.

McConville got a sight of goal but could only hit a low drive straight at Pope, which was repeated at the other end by Gudmundsson.

Substitute Boco beat debutant Jon Flanagan and got a cross in but fellow replacement Paddy Lacey scuffed his shot.

Hotshot Gray was left shaking his head after screwing a shot wide when he was picked out by Gudmundsson with a minute left of normal time.

And he was denied again when, into added time, the Icelander found him with a cutback but Parish spread himself superbly to block his shot.

Arron Davies replaced the lively O’Sullivan nine minutes into extra time and straight away had a shot deflected wide.

Scott Arfield was denied by a reaching save by Parish before Gray had a goal chalked off when he barged Beckles off the ball.

The Clayton End thought they were about to see the winner when Janoi Donacien swung in an excellent cross that Boco met with a downward header five yards out but Pope pulled off a marvellous save.

Pearson ensured the dramatic finish when he was in the right spot to beat Pope with a low shot after Beckles had been denied and Burnley failed to clear their lines.

Not penalties this time for Stanley, but it was a spot-on result all the same.