DEFENDER David Edgar has vowed to fight his way back into the Burnley team, after having his chance to stake a claim for a place cruelly cut short by Saturday’s red card at Ipswich Town.

The Canadian made his first start for more than six months – and only his third overall in the league since arriving at Turf Moor last summer – when he stood in for the injured Tyrone Mears at right back at Portman Road.

Edgar had played a key role in the game remaining goalless up until receiving a second yellow card in the 79th minute, when he was judged to have blocked Ipswich captain David Norris’ forward run, after picking up a hasty first-half booking for a foul on Grant Leadbitter.

Midfielder Norris went on to use the Tractor Boys’ one-man advantage to break the deadlock with four minutes to go, before Clarke Carlisle salvaged a point with a stoppage time header from a corner.

Edgar was delighted with the draw, but admitted he had “mixed emotions” about the day overall.

“I was happy to start and I thought I was doing quite well up to the sending off,” said the 23-year-old, whose Clarets career has been beset by misfortune since his arrival from Newcastle United last summer.

The Canada Under 20 international would have begun Burnley’s Premier League season at Stoke City, after then captain Steven Caldwell was injured on international duty. But unlucky Edgar was ruled out by a suspension carried over from the final day of the previous campaign, when he was sent off for Newcastle as the Magpies were relegated at Aston Villa.

Andre Bikey’s arrival from Reading, in time for the following game against Manchester United, scuppered the central defender’s hopes of a debut.

Back-to-back home wins over the Reds and then Everton, followed by Caldwell’s return to fitness, and later the signing of Leon Cort from Stoke City, for £1.3million, pushed Edgar further down the pecking order.

He spent the last two months of last season on loan at Swansea CIty.

“It’s been difficult trying to get in the team for me since I’ve been here. It was a different position again for me but I just wanted to play well and show the gaffer I’m ready to play in the next game,” he said.

“Unfortunately now, though, I won’t be able to be involved in that.

“You saw last week when Michael Duff came off injured and Clarke Carlisle came in and did an excellent job, and hopefully I can do the same again.”

Of the incident which led to his sending off, Edgar added: “It was a bit unfortunate. There was nothing I could really do about the second one.

“I got caught in a two or three on one and he (Norris) put (the ball) round me.

“It was disappointing because I didn’t want to let the lads down.

“I just got showered and came out and Ipswich had scored so it was brilliant to see Clarkey pop up and get a goal.

“I’d just come up the tunnel and I was pretty happy to see it. We were disappointed not to win but a draw’s a good result there.”