STEVEN Defour came through 70 minutes unscathed as a strong Burnley side beat Canadian outfit FC Edmonton 2-1 in a friendly at Gawthorpe.

Belgium midfielder Defour was playing for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in the win over Leicester City at the end of January and he will hope to have done enough to put him in the frame to feature against Sunderland on Saturday.

Defour partnered Ashley Westwood in the centre of midfield while there were also starts for Nick Pope, Tendayi Darikwa, Kevin Long, James Tarkowski, Jon Flanagan and Sam Vokes, who partnered Dan Agyei in attack.

It was a comfortable workout for the Clarets against a side preparing for the start of their North American Soccer League season with a tour of the north west, which will also feature games against Wigan, Newcastle United and Stoke City.

Youth team winger Dwight McNeil opened the scoring on 20 minutes when the wind helped his corner fly straight into the back of the net.

Defour created a chance for Agyei in the first half but the teenager was denied by keeper Nathan Ingham, who also saved from Westwood.

The visitors started the second half brightly and Pope was off his line well to deny Jake Keegan.

Burnley responded with Vokes heading wide from Long’s pass while Westwood saw an effort deflected wide.

They made it two 10 minutes from the end when Vokes forced an error at the back and Agyei rolled the ball home.

The visitors got a consolation in the closing stages when El Salvador international Dustin Corea fired home from a mis-placed Flanagan pass.

Burnley: Nick Pope; Tendayi Darikwa, Kevin Long, James Tarkowski, Jon Flanagan; Trialist, Steven Defour (Arlen Birch 70), Ashley Westwood, Dwight McNeil (Jamie Thomas 85); Sam Vokes, Dan Agyei. Subs not used: Jimmy Dunne, Connor Mitchell.