FOR eight second half minutes the travelling Clarets could dream of finally seeing that first away win of the season.

It was only the second time Burnley had led on the road this season, having been ahead for six minutes at Tottenham just before Christmas.

They held out for two minutes longer here but in the end they were unable to stem the relentless tide of attacks from a Swansea side who made a mockery of their lowly position in the league table.

Burnley never really got close to hitting top gear the Liberty Stadium, but they once again demonstrated spades of character and resilience to come within a couple of minutes of stealing a point.

That was due to the fact that they scored twice away from home in a game for the first time this season, with Andre Gray taking his tally for the campaign to eight.

If England manager Gareth Southgate is casting an eye over the 25-year-old then he can’t help but have been impressed by his cooly dispatched penalty and his wonderful turn and left-footed finish that propelled the Clarets into the lead on the hour mark.

He had initially got Burnley back into the game on 20 minutes when he sent his spot kick straight down the middle as Lukasz Fabianski dived out of the way.

But the decision to award the Clarets a penalty was the first of two poor decisions by referee Anthony Taylor, who allowed Fernando Llorente’s injury-time winner to stand despite a clear shove on Ben Mee.

You could say the decisions evened themselves out, with both sides benefiting, but then two wrongs don’t make a right.

The pattern of the game was set from the opening minutes. Within 10 minutes Alfie Mawson had hit bar and post from a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick, but it was only a temporary reprieve.

Two minutes later Leroy Fer sped away from Jeff Hendrick in the wide right position and his wicked cross had Llorente’s eyes lighting up. He was in between Matt Lowton and Michael Keane and headed past Paul Robinson, who deputised for the ill Tom Heaton.

Sam Vokes, returning to Wales after his starring role in Euro 2016 last summer, was involved in the equaliser.

He tried to attack a second corner in quick succession but ended up handling the cross, only for Taylor give Burnley the penalty.

Gray made no mistake, but if Vokes thought he was on safe ground in the principality his friends soon turned to enemies, and when he made way in the second half the Liberty Stadium voiced their displeasure at him.

Back came Swansea. Robinson saved from Martin Olsson from close range, before Sigurdsson sent a shot narrowly wide, and the half ended with the hosts hitting the woodwork again, this time through Llorente’s header.

Burnley were digging in again early in the second half. Mee cleared off the line from Sigurdsson and Llorente glanced a header wide.

But on the hour mark the Clarets were ahead. Matt Lowton’s diagonal was flicked on by Vokes and Gray’s control, turn and finish in the area was international class.

Had Vokes managed to get the end of a Gray centre in front of goal moments later then Burnley may have been home and dry.

Instead Swansea were level soon after. Sigurdsson’s back heel sent Olsson, who had given George Boyd the run around all afternoon, away and he crashed a shot past Robinson.

Burnley tried to shut up shop with Ashley Westwood and James Tarkowski coming on, with Joey Barton making way in what is almost certain to be his Burnley farewell.

But in injury time the Swans found a winner, and although it was controversial it was also deserved.

Llorente nudged Mee under Carroll’s high ball before heading beyond Robinson.

It ended up another agonising away day for the Clarets, but they remain nine points clear of the bottom three, with another game ticked off. On to Anfield.