FULL-TIME: Altrincham 1, Burnley 4 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

FULL-TIME: Altrincham 1, Burnley 4

4:50pm Saturday 21st July 2012 in Football

TWO-goal Charlie Austin helped Burnley got their pre-season campaign off to a winning start against non-league Altrincham.

New signings Luke O'Neill, George Porter and Joseph Mills were on show, as well as Jason Shackell, who wore the captain's armband ahead of Chris McCann.

And manager Eddie Howe will be pleased with the performances of all newcomers, despite the frustration of letting a soft second half goal.

Midfielder McCann gave the Clarets a 12th minute lead when he controlled a ball from the right and drove it into the bottom right corner.

Bar a Duncan Watmore shot, which beat Lee Grant but bounced back off the left hand post, Burnley dominated the rest of the half but couldn't make their possession show in goals until the second half.

Howe made wholesale changes for the second half, and Burnley began it brightly with quickfire goals from Danny Ings, a solo effort, and Austin from Daniel Lafferty's square ball.

A mistake by Jon Stewart in dealing with a corner allowed James McCarten to pull a goal back for the Blue Square North side.

The Robins had a second ruled out for offside before Austin wrapped up the win for Burnley in the final minute, rising at the far post to head in Keith Treacy's cross from the left of the box.

 

BURNLEY (first half): Lee Grant; Luke O'Neill, Kevin Long, Jason Shackell, Joseph Mills; Ross Wallace, Chris McCann, Steven Hewitt, Junior Stanislas; Joe Jackson, Martin Paterson.

BURNLEY (second half): Jon Stewart; Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Ben Mee, Daniel Lafferty; Dean Marney; George Porter, Alex MacDonald, Danny Ings, Keith Treacy; Charlie Austin.