FATE decreed it just wasn't meant to be for the crestfallen Clarets.

An 86th minute Swindon equaliser, to cancel out Cayne Hanley's first half opener and take a gripping Youth Alliance Cup final to extra time, was only the start of the drama.

Two wilting sides then slugged it out toe-to-toe in the extra 30 minutes before Town finally delivered the knock-out blow courtesy of their youth team coach, Ian Woan.

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder later revealed he had been involved in six penalty shoot-outs in his playing career - winning every one!

And a pep-talk somehow cajoled his battling underdogs to take him to seventh heaven with a faultless display of penalty-taking that finally broke Burnley hearts.

Keeper Mark Crossley was inconsolable as he sank to the turf after Town's fifth and decisive spot kick whistled past him.

But after two classy stops saved Burnley's skins in extra time, Crossley was certainly no fall guy.

The only thing missing on a tense night at Turf Moor was a second goal in normal time that would surely have led to Town giving up the ghost.

The Clarets battered Swindon in the opening 45 minutes, but only had Hanley's lightening close-range finish from Neal Trotman's long throw on the stroke of half time to show for all that effort.

Crucially, Town keeper Matthew Bulman survived the pounding intact, largely through wasteful finishing.

It was the same story straight from the break as Irish striker Kyle Lafferty volleyed another golden chance wide.

And after being on the ropes for the best part of an hour, Town finally began to sense something might just be there for the taking.

Sam Morris miscued horribly with just Crossley to beat before the Burnley keeper expertly turned over Gary Pryde's piledriver.

The better of the chances were now falling to the visitors, but the timing of their equaliser was the real hammer-blow to Burnley's hopes.

Dreadlocked striker Ashan Holgate finally won his first header of the night against the impeccable Trotman from a corner and suddenly, extra time loomed.

The first half saw both sides tentative in the extreme, but in the 108th minute Crossley was alert to turn aside Pook's goalbound 25-yard effort.

At the other end, Clarets sub Rob Turner, on for Hanley, flashed an angled drive just wide to crank the tension up a notch.

Crossley saved well again from Holgate and Bulman did likewise from Lafferty as both sides tried in vain to find a late winner.

However, it turned out to be a penalty shoot-out too far for Terry Pashley's youngsters, who earned their crack at glory by beating Oldham Athletic after more spot-kick drama in the northern final.

Swindon scored first and crucially, Bulman magnificently saved Burnley's opener from the tireless Joe Booth.

That meant Town had to miss to open the door, but they slammed it shut emphatically by netting all five from the spot to snatch the trophy in the most dramatic way possible.

BURNLEY: Mark Crossley, Rob Henry, Neal Trotman, Chris McCann, Martin Reilly, Marc Pugh, Nicky Platt, Joe Booth, Tom Ince, Cayne Hanley (Rob Turner 87), Kyle Lafferty.

Subs not used: Hale, Overson, Blackler, Underwood.

Att: 1,230