Howe hopes Austin is fit for Ram raid (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Howe hopes Austin is fit for Ram raid

7:15am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe is hoping to have Charlie Austin available for Saturday’s trip to Derby County, after injury kept the top scorer out of last night’s defeat at Leicester City.

The 23-year-old had started every game this season, but after taking a bang on the hip in training on Tuesday Howe opted against risking further injury.

It is not thought to be serious enough for Austin to miss further games, however.

“He took a bash in training, right at the end of the session so it was a real blow so hopefully it’s nothing serious,” said Howe, who added Michael Duff was absent because of an Achilles problem.

The Clarets will look forward to hotshot Austin being available again, having been made to wait for their first Championship away point of the season.

Burnley took the lead through Dean Marney’s first league goal of the campaign – a strike so powerful it dismantled the net at the King Power Stadium.

They restricted Leicester to half chances after their 10th minute opener, having tightened up at the back on recent games. They looked particularly more solid at set pieces.

But Leicester, who had won their first two home league games, hit back in the second half.

Ex-Claret David Nugent ended an 11-game goalless streak by crashing in the equaliser off the turf – his 100th career goal.

Jamie Vardy scored what proved to be the winner in the 57th minute, benefiting from a wicked deflection off Jason Shackell.

Substitute Sam Vokes was close to adding a late equaliser but was denied by the post and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

“We were happy at half-time. We came with a gameplan and scored a good goal from our perspective – great play by Pato and a lovely finish from Deano – and we frustrated Leicester in the first half,” said Howe.

“We restricted them to long-range shots but the killer blow was conceding straight after half-time, and the manner of the goal as well was hugely disappointing because of how well we'd defended in the first half to then open the half up with that was really poor.”

Of the second goal he added: “That's how our luck is in terms of our defending.

“It was a huge deflection and nothing Granty could do about the second goal and then we were chasing the game.

“To be fair we came out, had a right go and had a couple of really good chances at the end.

“Sam's really unfortunate with both because I think it was a fantastic save for the second one.

“I thought he did really well when he came on. He gave us another dimension.”

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