AFTER losing their unbeaten home record in the Championship, Burnley were desperate to turn Turf Moor into a fortress.

But the Clarets will need some serious reinforcements if that is to be the case.

Central defender Steven Caldwell is ruled out for over a month with a torn thigh tendon, while it has been known for a while that Michael Duff is someone they will not be able to call upon until next season, after he suffered cruciate knee ligament damage in September.

Now Burnley's backline has been hit by a third blow, with David Unsworth set to serve a suspension, after his 86th minute dismissal ultimately led to them surrendering a second consecutive clean sheet.

A shut-out at Sheffield United on Saturday was more than welcome, considering only one other had been recorded all season, and that was in mid-September.

To follow that up with another 0-0 draw, though, would not have been ideal on paper. Not at home to Hull City.

But as the game panned out, with Gabor Kiraly by far the buiser of the two goalkeepers, even though the run of results would have remained at one win in 10, it would have been begrudgingly accepted, especially with 10 men fighting for it in the end.

However, even that was snatched away at the death.

And while Unsworth's sending off proved crucial, the previous 85 minutes had been just as damning.

Burnley lined up with the same eleven players who brought a point and a clean sheet back from Bramall Lane on Saturday.

But the backline that had looked so strong and resolute against the likes of James Beattie, Danny Webber and Luton Shelton, just three days later appeared edgy and, at times, like strangers.

The team, as a whole, simply weren't at the races.

Although John Spicer and Wade Elliott had half chances from just outside the area, Burnley struggled to find a rhythm, and subsequently Hull took that as an opportunity to create a few openings, chiefly through Stephen McPhee and Bryan Hughes, to emphasise any uneasiness at the back.

Winger Hughes, restored to the starting line-up after pulling up before Saturday's defeat at QPR with a groin problem, was allowed too much space in the early stages, and it took a brilliant double block from Kiraly to stop the Tigers from drawing first blood.

Graham Alexander had got sucked into Hull's break down the right, Elliott hadn't got far enough back to pick up the loose man, and McPhee didn't need a second invitation to pick out Hughes to his left, who only had Kiraly to beat the second his foot touched the ball.

But the Hungarian turned himself into a man mountain to block his first shot, and recovered quickly to do the same with the rebound.

Andy Gray arrowed a shot over the right angle after turning his marker brilliantly on the left of the area as the Clarets tried to build some momentum.

But they were soon on the back foot again, this time undone with a cross from the left.

Dean Marney's left-foot cross got a slight deflection off Clarke Carlisle and landed at the feet of McPhee, who buried it beyond a helpless Kiraly.

But as the Hull striker turned away to celebrate, he caught sight of the linesman raising his flag and had his celebrations instantly muted.

The defensive drama wasn't over for Burnley though, as they struggled to fully clear a left-wing free kick out of their penalty area.

Kyle Lafferty intercepted a cross close to the penalty spot, but his header looped out towards Damien Delaney on the edge of the box.

His left foot shot took a bounce inside the area but Kiraly was well placed to gather it.

The Clarets stopper was called into action in more spectacular fashion seven minutes before the break as Richard Garcia worked an opening on the right and sent a 25-yard shot curling towards the top left corner.

Kiraly never took his eyes off it as he waited to time his leap, and flick it with the tip of his fingers over the right angle.

After that, the inswinging corner was elimentary for Kiraly, and after catching it cleanly he set Spicer away with his long throw.

But after playing it short to Lafferty, the move broke down as the young Irishman tripped over his own feet midway inside the Hull half.

After that, Burnley looked as though they might end the half on top, when Spicer instigated an excellent move down the right, freeing Gray, who sought out Lafferty from the byeline.

The cross was cut-out, the half clearance sat up nicely for Blake but, after running onto it, he screwed a half-volley wide.

Alexander then pumped an inviting ball in from the right, Gray got his head to it but couldn't steer it on target.

As the clock ticked down towards the break, that brief spell of momentum was ended by a quick Hull break, and it took the outstretched left leg of Unsworth to prevent McPhee from putting the visitors 1-0 up.

Burnley opened the second half with a change, as Blake made way for Alan Mahon.

The Dubliner's introduction to the centre of midfield allowed Lafferty to partner Gray up front and gave McCann a run on the left side of midfield.

The extra creativity Mahon provided in the centre of the park helped to push the Clarets forward, and when Spicer was tripped 25 yards out, Alexander chipped the free kick towards Gray but the ball was headed behind before the striker had chance to connect.

Alexander then met Spicer's midfield run with a perfectly weighted ball, Spicer headed and charged to the right of the area before hooking it over to the opposite side of the box.

McCann looked tempted to hit it first time on the volley, but instead opted to control it on his right foot, and brought a low save from Boaz Myhill.

But their positive start to the half was short-lived, and Hughes soon found himself in possession on the edge of the box and no-one close enough to close him down.

But when he tried to bend the ball beyond Kiraly, he was again foiled by the Burnley goalkeeper.

The ball spilled slightly from his grasp as he hit the floor, but the Clarets' number one just managed to suck it into his body with Frazier Campbell threatening to flick it from his outstretched hands.

The pendulum swung back towards Burnley, but they couldn't cash in on it.

McCann got up well to meet Alexander's high crossfield ball at the left post, but it cannoned off the top of the crossbar.

Jordan tried to utilise the rebound but his return ball was cleared.

Ade Akinbiyi then entered the fray, for Elliott, to have a run at the Hull defence.

But he was a lone man for the final five minutes of normal time, after Unsworth was given his marching orders.

Frazier Campbell found himself with a path to goal, and the experienced Burnley defender executed a last-ditch challenge and appeared to get the ball, just as he had on McPhee moments before half-time.

Referee Chris Foy had seen that as a fair challenge and awarded a corner.

Not so this time, as, with Unsworth the last line of defence, he brandished a red card.

Wounded, Burnley rallied, and Mahon had a low left-foot strike that Myhill spilled. Had Akinbiyi been a foot closer he would surely have stabbed it home.

Instead, the Hull stopper had time to recover and smother the ball before the striker could get close.

Hull broke in stoppage time and Delaney had a shot deflected.

The corner was cleared back to taker Dean Marney, who put the ball back into the box.

McCann was blocked off by Wayne Brown in his attempts to close it down, and Michael Turner got the better of Kiraly from six yards.

A cruel blow for the keeper, but the Clarets only had themselves to blame.