BURNLEY crashed to their first defeat of 2011 despite taking the lead in their Championship clash at Reading.

Ross Wallace gave the Clarets the advantage on 28 minutes after a well-worked move that finished with the Scottish winger converting Tyrone Mears' low cross.

However, Burnley's lead lasted just three minutes when Shane Long struck in either half.

The home side looked a threat from the off and striker Long came close to an opener inside the first five minutes.

Long was alert to rob Brian Easton of the ball and surge into the area. However the ball took an unkind bobble and he shanked his left-footed strike across the face of goal.

Long flashed a header wide after good work from Ian Harte before Jack Cork had Burnley`s first effort with a dipping strike from 25 yards which flew over the top.

The visitors began to wrestle control of midfield with Cork and Chris Eagles influential, and the duo combined to create the opener in the 28th minute.

Eagles fed a fine overlapping run from Tyrone Mears and the full-back was able to cut the ball back perfectly for Wallace to strike home powerfully from 15 yards.

The goal shook up the home side and they were level within three minutes.

Noel Hunt won a header on the halfway line and Long had the pace to race clear of the defence and the composure to slide the ball past goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Clarets midfielder Dean Marney then smashed a strike against the crossbar when a cross was not dealt with before the break as an end-to-end half came to a close.

Hunt almost put Reading ahead at the start of the second half when he narrowly missed Jimmy Kebe`s cross from the right before Long fired wide.

Long`s persistence paid off when he headed home in the 68th minute.

Jobi McAnuff delivered the ball from the right and Long got across his marker to power in a header which gave Grant no chance.

Marney had the best chance to equalise for the Clarets when he arrived onto a deep cross but could only steer his volley wide.

Ross Wallace almost stole a point for Clarets in the third minute of stoppage-time, but his 25-yard free-kick crashed against the crossbar.