Burnley’s newfound positivity disappeared within the blink of an eye after finding themselves on the wrong end of another FA Cup upset.
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League One side Mansfield Town came from behind to beat the Clarets, who were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal.
Josh Laurent opened the scoring for Scott Parker’s side during a dominant first-half, but the likes of Ashley Barnes and Loum Tchaouna missed some gilt-edged chances to make it more comfortable.
While the advantage remained a slim one, the Stags were always in the game, and they eventually punished Burnley with a leveller through Rhys Oates.
The game looked to be heading towards extra-time, which still would have been a nightmare for Parker and co. But things went from bad to worse when Louis Reed stuck a free kick into the top corner.
The hosts had no answer, resulting in more full-time boos at Turf Moor while the joyous away end celebrated a big cup upset.
The Clarets were still able to name a strong starting XI despite making nine changes to the side that came from behind to beat Crystal Palace in midweek.
Louis Reed's free kick proved to be the decisive moment in the game (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Louis Reed's free kick proved to be the decisive moment in the game (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images)
James Ward-Prowse was handed his first start for the club, as promised by Parker beforehand, having made his debut off the bench at Selhurst Park.
Quilindschy Hartman was also named in Burnley’s starting XI for the first time since the last round, where the Clarets thrashed Millwall 5-1.
The Dutchman is currently out in the cold, failing to even make Parker’s match day squads in the Premier League in recent weeks.
Ashley Barnes also started, looking to repeat his brace in the last round, while the likes of Max Weiss, Hjalmar Ekdal and Loum Tchaouna also got their chance to impress.
Parker also named a strong bench that included the likes of Joe Worrall, Hannibal, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marcus Edwards and Zian Flemming.
Enock Agyei made his return to the first-team picture having spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Armando Broja was left out once again, after Parker confirmed his absence in midweek was purely a footballing decision.
Jordan Beyer, Axel Tuanzebe, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Mike Tresor and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.
As for Mansfield, they made six changes from their midweek 2-1 defeat to Peterborough United.
Barnes, the hero of Burnley’s five-star showing in the last round, ought to have given the home side the lead inside the first four minutes, only to miss a gilt-edged chance.
Hartman put it on a plate for the experienced campaigner just four yards out, but Barnes somehow managed to turn wide.
The opening exchanges were otherwise pretty uneventful, with Mansfield more than holding their own - causing one or two anxious moments in Burnley’s backline.
But Burnley edged their noses in front in the 21st minute, via a relatively unusual source in Josh Laurent, who was playing at right-back.
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He started off the move, playing in Lyle Foster who exchanged a quick one-two with Loum Tchaouna before picking out the run of Laurent, who sent the keeper and the last defender for a dummy before slotting home into the back of the empty net.
Foster, the creator of Burnley’s opener, almost got in on the act himself when he looked to pick out the bottom corner with a low driven effort, only for Liam Roberts to save well.
Burnley came close to doubling their lead just before the half-hour mark when Barnes expertly picked out the run of Jacob Bruun Larsen down the left. The Dane scooped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper, but a Stags defender got back to clear well just ahead of Foster, who was ready to pounce.
The home side continued to create some good openings, but they struggled to find that second to put the game to bed.
Tchaouna, just like Barnes, was guilty of fluffing his lines, failing to find the target after space had opened up for him inside the box, blazing high and wide.
The second-half began just as the first ended, with Burnley threatening again but failing to find that killer touch in front of goal as Tchaouna headed wide from Bruun Larsen’s threatening left-wing cross.
While the Clarets led by just the one goal, you knew the tie wasn’t done - and the home side were given a big warning sign five minutes into the second period when Rhys Oates sloppily failed to hit the target after pouncing on a Hjalmar Ekdal slip, which gave him the opportunity to go one on one with Weiss.
Normal service resumed at the other end of the field, as Foster saw a goalbound effort blocked by his own teammate Barnes.
Regardless of the opposition, you simply have to take your opportunities when they come your way, otherwise you’ll be punished.
That’s exactly what happened in the 53rd minute, when Oates atoned for his earlier miss with a strong header across Weiss and into the far corner.
Burnley felt the goal shouldn’t have been allowed to stand after Hartman appeared to take a hand to the face from Lucas Akins, but those appeals fell on deaf ears, with replays showing there was minimal contact.
It’s fair to say the Clarets were well off it during the second-half and, the longer the game wore on, the more Mansfield sensed they could pull off an unlikely upset.
Weiss was forced into a save from Stephen McLaughlin’s drive, while Florentino Luis was carded for a high boot on Oates as the Mansfield forward looked to charge through on goal. The sold-out away end were baying for a red, but with Hjalmar Ekdal covering, the referee decided on yellow.
The visiting fans weren’t complaining seconds later though when Stags skipper Louis Reed stuck the resulting free-kick into the top corner, beating Weiss’ despairing dive.
Burnley had just 10 minutes to avoid yet another cup upset and they ought to have levelled to take the game to extra time in the 89th minute, when substitute Zian Flemming somehow blazed over from eight yards out.
Hartman had Burnley’s last chance to salvage something, but his low effort was straight at Roberts.
All that was left was for the referee to blow for full time, resulting in more Turf Moor boos.
TEAMS
Burnley: Weiss, Laurent, Ekdal, Esteve, Hartman, Florentino (Ugochkwu), Ward-Prowse (Pires), Tchaouna (Edwards), Bruun Larsen (Hannibal), Foster, Barnes (Flemming)
Subs not used: Hladky, Worrall, Humphreys, Agyei
Mansfield: Roberts, Knoyle (Hewitt), Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy, Akins, Lewis, Reed, Russell (Hendry), McLaughlin, Evans (Adeboyejo), Oates (Bolton)
Subs not used: H. Lewis, Moriah-Welsh, Gardner, Irow, Dwyer
Referee: Gavin Ward
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