BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche was pleased with his side’s Europa League bow as the Clarets fought back to draw 1-1 with Aberdeen on Thursday night.

Gary Mackay-Steven’s controversial early penalty put the Dons ahead after Burnley lost goalkeeper Nick Pope to a shoulder injury.

But substitute Sam Vokes came off the bench to volley home a late leveller and leave the second qualifying round tie delicately poised ahead of the Turf Moor return.

And Dyche was satisfied with his side’s performance.

He said: “When you think how the game panned out, you’d take the away goal and the draw.

“On reflection of the whole game, we probably deserved to edge it, we created enough, but not remotely taking anything away from Aberdeen, who certainly made it a proper game.

“The atmosphere - I thought the fans were excellent for both clubs - and it felt like a real game, so credit to Aberdeen for that.

“The penalty changed the feel in the stadium, and then we responded well over the remainder of the game.”

On the penalty Dyche added: “We can’t get one, we haven’t had one in over a calendar year, I don’t know how much contact there was, I didn’t look a lot. I’ve only seen it on the laptop, not crystal clear, but it doesn’t look a lot of contact, but that’s the way it goes.”

The introduction of Vokes midway through the second period changed the complexion of the game and the Wales international volleyed home a superb equaliser 10 minutes from time to leave Burnley as favourites heading into the second leg.

“I thought Vokesy did really well,” Dyche added. “We debated whether he started but I was pleased with the timing of it and he was a real handful when he came on.

“He scored a very good goal, stayed composed, didn’t fight the situation, he watched the ball drop and it was a fine finish.

“He definitely impacted the game, which is what you want coming off the bench.”

Vokes’ away goal means it is advantage Burnley heading into the Turf Moor return but Dyche is not taking anything for granted, although he does believe that his side will benefit from another week’s training.

He said: “We’re not a side who takes anything for granted, so we don’t go back home thinking it’s a done deal, absolutely not. We’ll have to work for everything we get as we always have done.

“They’re slightly further on and they’ve been down this road before, and we’ve still got two and a half weeks until we start in the Premier League.

“I was pretty pleased. I don’t think it’s physical fitness, more mental sharpness, connections on the pitch, the way the units work, and we were a little bit off, a little open, not as good as we usually are in transition.

“But there was glimpses of some of the quality we have to open the opposition, especially against a packed defence who were 1-0 up.”