A late George Boyd strike earned Burnley a well-deserved point in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United on New Years' Day.
Ashley Barnes hit the post within the first minute but from there Newcastle dominated with Steven Taylor giving them the lead, a terrible mistake from Paul Dummett gave Burnley equaliser but Jack Colback restored the lead minutes later. Burnley dominated the majority of the second period and Danny Ings got their deserved equaliser in the 65th minute, Moussa Sissoko then gave the magpies the lead for a third time against the run of play but George Boyd had the final say, scoring the sixth and final strike with five minutes to play.
Burnley gave St James’ Park an early scare within the first minute when Barnes got in on goal. His shot beat keeper Jon Alnwick but luckily for the youngster, came back off the post. After the early scare Newcastle dominated the game with Yohan Gouffran forcing Tom Heaton to parry his attempt after he made half a yard of space for himself from Moussa Sissoko’s back heel.
In the 14th minute the home side took the lead, in-form Colback whipped in a good corner with plenty of pace on it finding the header of Taylor who headed it down back towards the unmarked post and into the corner.
Only four minutes late Burnley were gifted a way back into the match, a long punt forward was headed backwards by the goal scorer Taylor which was misjudged by Dummett who floated a header over an oncoming Alnwick and into an empty net.
Before Burnley knew it they fell behind again to an excellent Colback strike, Daryl Janmaat teed up the midfielder on the edge of the area with Colback letting the ball coming across his body before hitting a sweet low strike through the legs of Dean Marney and into the net off the post.
It went from bad to worse for Burnley as they were forced into using all three of their substitutes with the first substitute of the afternoon Kevin Long forced off with an injury 20 minutes into his first premier league start.
Sean Dyche’s side started their second period as they did with the first with George Boyd doing well to stretch to get on the end of an early ball into the area but it proved too much as the effort went over the crossbar. The away side found the woodwork for the second time in the match when Ings hit a sweet dipping shot from the edge of the box which came back off the underside of the bar, it bounced up for Barnes who headed it goal wards but could find the base of the post.
Burnley hit the woodwork for the fourth time, Ben Mee pulled away from his marker to get his head to the corner in but again the crossbar denies them. Alnwick then denied them in the 64th minute when George Boyd dispossessed Cheick Tiote before hit a sweet strike goal ward and the young shot stopper did well to tip it over.
Only a minute later Burnley got their deserved equaliser, sub Michael Kightly whipped a great curling ball into the box and Ings managed to get the slightest of touches with his head which takes beyond the fingertips of Alnwick and into the far corner.
With twelve minutes to play Newcastle took the lead once again totally against the run of play, young striker Ayoze Perez showed excellent trickery to get to the by line before he pulled it back for sub Adam Armstrong who could touch it onto Sissoko who slotted it home sending the Gallowgate end into hysteria.
The drama didn’t finish there with Burnley equalising for a third time in the match with five minutes to play, Ings made a run towards but was dispossessed by Fabricio Collinci but Boyd managed to pick up the clearance before making his way into the area before hitting it back across goal. Alnwick managed to get a hand onto the effort but it wasn’t enough to keep it out and for Burley to earn a well-deserved point.
It has been a hectic week on Tyneside with manager Alan Pardew looking like he will be making the move down south to Crystal Palace while the John Carver has stepped in to take the top job on a temporary basis until a permanent replacement is found. Carver’s first game in charge is somewhat bittersweet as his side played brilliantly for the first half, they were hanging on somewhat in the second but still managed to take the lead but to lead three times in the match he will be bitterly disappointed his side is coming out with one point and not three.
Dyche’s side again showed their grit and their determination that they showed in the game at the Etihad to gain yet another point which seemed to be out of their reach, the next step will be to change these draws into victories and if they can continue to show this determination they should be clear of any relegation trouble come May.
| Newcastle (3) | Burnley (3) | ||
 |  |  |  |
| Alnwick | 6 | Heaton | 6 |
| Janmaat | 7 | Trippier | 5 |
| Taylor | 6 | Keane | 5 |
| Coloccini | 5 | Shackell | 4 |
| Dummett | 5 | Mee | 5 |
| Tiote | 5 | Boyd | 7 |
| Colback | 7 | Jones | 5 |
| Perez | 6 | Marney | 4 |
| Sissoko | 6 | Arfield | 5 |
| Gouffran | 5 | Ings | 7 |
| Riviere | 5 | Barnes | 7 |
| Remplaçants | |||
| Williamson | 5 | Long | 3 |
| Haidara | 5 | Reid | 5 |
| Armstrong | 6 | Kightly | 6 |