"Mansfield gave blood and sweat to reach the FA Cup fifth round by shocking a Burnley side intent on boring everyone to tears. A stunning Louis Reed free-kick completed a hard-fought turnaround for the League One side against their labouring Premier League opponents. There is little doubt that Burnley are getting relegated, leaving the Cup as their only hope of salvaging a desperate season, but they lacked quality from start to finish on another desperate day for Scott Parker."
"Mansfield were not necessarily the better side but worked harder for the victory. Burnley made nine changes from their surprise win at Crystal Palace in midweek. It was unsurprising that Ashley Barnes was a bit rusty, having played only 138 minutes this season before kick-off, although he would have expected to find the net early on when Quilindschy Hartman sent the ball across for him to tap in, only to slide it wide, despite being under no pressure."
"After 20 minutes of shadow boxing, Burnley opened the scoring. Neat play on the edge of the area between Lyle Foster and Loum Tchaouna created space for the makeshift right-back Josh Laurent, who bamboozled defender and goalkeeper to create the easiest of finishes while his opponents lay on the ground. The Burnley chair, Alan Pace, called for fans' anger and frustration to be turned into vocal support in his programme notes, a sign not all is well at the club."
Mansfield reached the FA Cup fifth round by overturning Burnley with a late Louis Reed free-kick. The League One side worked harder and completed a hard-fought turnaround against a Premier League opponent struggling for form. Burnley, beset by poor quality and threatening relegation, fielded nine changes after a midweek surprise win, and failed to find rhythm. Ashley Barnes showed rust after limited minutes, missing an early chance and failing to capitalize. A tidy move led to Josh Laurent's opening goal before the turnaround. Turf Moor atmosphere was subdued, reflecting fan frustration and concerns about the club's season.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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