PROUD Burnley manager Owen Coyle praised a 'valiant effort' after his 10-man troopers were knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal.

Kyle Lafferty's second-half dismissal proved to be one of the key moments in the game as the Gunners, who had gone in front courtesy of Eduardo's 10th minute goal, used their extra man to wrap the game up with 15 minutes to go courtesy of Nicklas Bendtner.

Lafferty's early exit was a decision that Coyle felt was harsh on the 20-year-old Northern Ireland international, who was denied by the crossbar before Eduardo scored, and one which the club may seek to get rescinded after closely observing replays of the tackle on Gilberto Silva.

Nevertheless, the Clarets boss was delighted with the way his players took the game to the Gunners.

"We'd asked before the game for a level of performance. We'd said we would try to commit players forward and be positive in the game, and I felt we were," he said.

"There are always big, pivotal moments in games. I thought Kyle had a great opportunity early on, as it was it never went in, but we were well in the game and looked a threat, I thought, going forward at every opportunity when we could.

"But again I think the sending off's a big turning point.

"My initial thoughts were that if he was going to book him it was going to be a yellow.

"I work with Kyle Lafferty and I'm not standing up for the kid but there's not a bad bone in his body.

"He's mis-controlled a ball and he went to recover it, and I think he went with one foot. It certainly wasn't two-footed.

"I asked the referee at the end of the game; he was in a good position and he called it very quickly, but he felt Kyle went over the ball to hurt the lad, which is just not in his game and I said that.

"He's a 20-year-old kid making his way in the game. He has a big future, I think, ahead of him and he showed that today against quality opposition, and I felt maybe the referee was just a touch harsh on him, and indeed the team, because to go down to 10 men against that quality is always going to be difficult.

"But it was a valiant effort and we had chances - certainly half chances at 1-0 - to get back into the game.

"I've got nothing but praise about the way they went about it.

"On maybe some other day we would have achieved a positive result from the game."