BURNLEY Under-23s failed to lift themselves off the bottom of the Professional Development League after sharing six goals with Huddersfield Town at Turf Moor.

Michael Duff’s men showed resilience to fightback from 2-0 and 3-2 down thanks to a double from Dwight McNeil and an Oliver Younger, but despite having the better of the chances they couldn’t find the winning goal that would have lifted them above the visitors.

But the game did yield Dean Marney’s first 90 minutes since the cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered in January as the midfielder continues on the comeback trail.

The visitors took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes, although it took Isaac Marriott two attempts to apply the finish touch.

A stretching Aidan Stone could only push Jack Boyle’s cross out to Marriott, but he missed his initial finish before showing composure to slam home into the corner at the second attempt.

Huddersfield doubled their advantage midway through the half as they continued to find gaps in the Clarets defence. This time Denilson Carvalho found space inside the area and his low ball in was swept into the corner by Joe Lolley.

Burnley’s response was immediate though. Marney’s shot was deflected wide and from the corner McNeil’s delivery looked to be heading straight in, but Younger made sure on the line.

A minute later the Clarets were level. Tunde Bayode’s cross fell to McNeil who let the ball come down before firing home from 12 yards, with Tadgh Ryan getting a hand to it but unable to keep it out.

Parity lasted a matter of minutes though. Joe Lolley’s in-swinging free-kick was glanced home at close range by Olly Dyson for a fifth goal of the game in the opening half hour.

It was end-to-end stuff and the Clarets could have levelled within minutes as Bayode outpaced the defence but saw Ryan smother his shot. The Town stopper was then lucky to only be booked as he clattered Tinashe Chakwana right on the edge of the area, and he made his fortune pay by saving Rahis Nabi’s low free-kick.

The chances were continuing to flow late on in the first half, with Harry Limb blazing over from a good position before Stone palmed away Dyson’s curler from 15 yards and Lolley slashed the rebound wide.

The second half brought a Clarets chance within seconds as Chakwana drove wide from 15 yards and they were level on the hour mark.

Bayode’s shot from a corner played to the edge of the area was blocked but it fell to McNeil and he drove home low across Ryan to find the corner.

Chakwana then missed a chance to put Burnley ahead for the first time, cutting inside the defender from Bayode’s cross-field ball but seeing his low shot saved by Ryan.

It was the Clarets who were now carving out the better chances and persistence from Bayode was almost rewarded when his angled shot flew narrowly over, before the same player rifled a half-volley from close range over the bar in added time.

Burnley: Aidan Stone, Arlen Birch, James Clarke, Oliver Younger, Ali Koiki, Mark Howarth (Rahis Nabi 17), Dean Marney, Dwight McNeil, Tinashe Chakwana (Christian N’Guessan 80), Tunde Bayode, Harry Limb (Jamie Thomas 71)

Subs not used: Conor King, Bobby Thomas