JASON Gilchrist fired Burnley into the FA Youth Cup fourth round with a hat-trick at Old Trafford.

It was the striker's fourth treble of the season, but undoubtedly the best, against a Manchester United side tipped to go all the way in the competition.

The Clarets reached the last four of the competition themselves for the first time in 33 years last season, losing out to rivals Blackburn in a two-legged affair in the end.

Coach Terry Pashley admitted earlier in the week that there was no pressure on his side to match that run this time around, given the tough assignment their first tie threw up.

But Burnley surpassed all expectations in this tie alone, by not only twice coming back from behind to force extra time, but by dumping United out.

And boy did they deserve it. Just as they had when they took the lead. It was not against the run of play, as perhaps would have been anticipated, that Cameron Howieson put the Clarets in front in the 37th minute.

It was somewhat typical of United to give the opposition a goal start, following in the footsteps of the first team.

Luke Conlan earned a free kick after being pushed close to the corner flag, Nathan Lowe whipped in the delivery and Howieson got himself into a great position, unmarked, to head in at the near post.

But United restored parity just as the only minute of first half stoppage time had begun.

James Weir started the move, passing into the box then bursting onto a lovely backheel and tucking the ball across Jakovlevs, into the bottom right corner.

Adnan Januzaj had threatened moments earlier after going on a terrific run down the right, leaving Jamie Frost and Conlan in his wake before his angled run into the box was stopped by Charlie Holt's excellent cover tackle.

Boosted by the equaliser, United were the stronger at the start of the second half, and their pressure resulted in them taking the lead.

Holt headed off the line, but the ball dropped for Nicholas Ioannou, who struck his shot straight down the middle and bulged the net.

But the Clarets were level three minutes later. Goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini blocked Jason Gilchrist’s initial shot but the ball looped up and the striker managed to get enough on it as it dropped to steer it into an empty net.

United, watched by Sir Alex Ferguson, regained the lead on 72 minutes with a thunderous 18-yard effort from Donald Love – younger brother of Burnley’s Archie.

But the Clarets dug in and were level again 10 minutes from time after Gilchrist successfully charged down a short backpass to Gollini and kept his balance to slot into an empty net from the edge of the box.

That took the game into extra time where cramp caused many a casualty.

Mats Daehli appealed for a penalty after going down under Luke Daly's challenge in the box, but the referee did not feel it was a foul.

The game looked set to be going to them, until Gilchrist completed his hat-trick with a header from Bradley Jackson’s perfect cross.

Credit to Jakovlevs for keeping it that way with three saves in 30 seconds to secure Burnley’s brilliant passage into the fourth round.