Burnley FC continued their Premier League preparations with a 0-2 win at Oldham Athletic.
The Clarets, who played two almost-completely different sides at Boundary Park, took the lead in the second half through Jay Rodriguez and teenager Lewis Richardson’s first goal for the club.
More than 900 Burnley fans were at the game, with more than 1,000 Latics fans watching their team for the first time since early 2020.
Story of the game
It was a good first half for Sean Dyche and his team, with the home side making it difficult for their higher division opponents.
James Tarkowski, back at Boundary Park where he started his career in 2011, blocked Davis Keillor-Dunn’s effort inside the area.
It was quite shaky in the opening exchanges for the visitors, with Keillor-Dunn spurning a better opportunity and Hallam Hope also missed the target.
The Premier League outfit grew into the game, with Ashley Barnes unable to flick on Erik Pieters cross, before the left back saw an effort of his own tipped over Oldham’s trialist goalkeeper.
The trialist would be impressed with himself after he also got across to stop Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s goal-bound free kick.
Gudmundsson and Lewis Richardson were the only players to keep their spot in the 11 that started the second half as Dyche – and Keith Curle for the hosts – made plenty of changes at the break.
Burnley did then take the lead, soon after the interval through Jay Rodriguez.
Dwight McNeil put a corner to the back post where Bobby Thomas was able head it back towards goal where a small goal mouth scramble allowed Rodriguez to tap home his third of pre-season.
And, within minutes, Richardson made it two with his first goal for the senior side.
Rodriguez stung the gloves of the Latics ‘keeper, who saved it well but could only push the ball into the youngsters path and he hooked home the second.
The travelling Clarets fans behind the goal loved to see it as Richardson was mobbed by his teammates.
Burnley had another couple of chances through Rodriguez and then Josh Brownhill, but the score remained 0-2 as the full time whistle blew.
Anthony Gomez-Mancini and Max Thompson also came on in the second half for Gudmundsson and Richardson respectively, and put in a pair of solid performances.
Lineups
Oldham:
Trialist (Trialist): Clarke (Adams), McGahey (Badan), Piergianni (Trialist), Hart (Jameson); Trialist (Dearney), Diarra (Whelan), Trialist (Fage); Keillor-Dunn (Trialist), Hope (Luamba), Bahamboula (Trialist)
Burnley (First Half XI):
Burnley (first half): Peacock-Farrell; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Gudmundsson, Cork, Benson, Glennon; Barnes, Richardson.
Burnley (second half): Norris; Lowton, Collins, Thomas, Taylor; Gudmundsson (Gomez-Mancini), Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil; Rodriguez, Richardson (Thompson).