Burnley 3 Bolton Wanderers 3

Nimani 21, Rodriguez 45 pen, Gudjonsson 66 pen; Irwin 4, Sampson 6, O'Halloran 71

WANDERERS MADE a dream start with two goals inside the opening six minutes, but can be proud of their efforts despite having to settle for a point in a thrilling contest at the Crown Ground.

The youthful visitors gave a great account against a largely experienced Burnley team, and had their opponents on the rack after two first year scholars - Liam Irwin and Jack Sampson - got the ball rolling with two strikes in next to no time.

And though the home side hit back with three senior stars finding the net, Michael O'Halloran's sweet strike ensured both sides went home with something to show for their efforts after a game that was in the balance to the very end.

Wanderers' young front two gave the visiting side a dream start with two goals inside the opening six minutes.

Irwin struck first as he curled a fourth minute free kick low around the right hand side of the wall from 20 yards, and then confusion in the Burnley defence just two minutes later allowed Sampson to latch onto a bouncing ball, poking home below Nicky Weaver's reach from the edge of the six yard box.

It was almost three inside the first ten minutes as Michael O'Halloran outpaced Jake McEneaney in a foot race from half way to the box, but the home full back did enough to put the Wanderer off as he let fly; the eventual shot clearing the bar.

More intricate interplay between the front two helped turn a one-two into a shooting chance from 30 yards, Sampson testing Weaver with a bouncing drive before the Clarets started to show their worth.

Jay Rodriguez twice went mighty close to getting his side back in it - Andrew Burns getting a key block on one shot - but the constant left wing threat of Frederic Nimani ultimately led to a narrowing of the deficit. Home skipper Joey Gudjonsson picked out the French U21 star just outside the box with a cultured pass, and the recipient struck an unstoppable bullet inside the near post.

After a lightning opening, it was inevitable that the pace would slow a little, but there was still time for another strike before the break. With just seconds remaining before the whistle was due, referee Mark Heywood adjudged Stuart McDonald to have tripped striker Jay Rodriguez in the area, and the felled front man regained his composure to send the penalty in the opposite direction of Rob Lainton's dive.

There was no let up in the number of incidents post-break, with Sam Sheridan narrowly clearing the bar from distance and Lainton twice denying half-time sub Wes Fletcher.

Adam Blakeman then took advantage of the Crown Ground slope to surprise Weaver with a deep free kick that pinged off the bar, but the Wanderers full back was left disappointed just moments later when the assistant instructed the referee to give a penalty for his collision with the ever tricky Nimani. This time Gudjonsson took over the responsibilities and confidently placed his spot kick into the bottom left corner.

If the home side thought they'd completed a remarkable comeback, they were wrong, with Michael O'Halloran taking advantage of Kevin Long's mistake to lob a fine leveller over the stranded Weaver and set up a tense final 20 minutes.

Both sides gave their all for the cause, but a deserved draw was ensured with two wonderful saves from Lainton in the last ten minutes. First up, he tipped Rodriguez' wonderful 35-yard volley onto the bar and then got just enough behind a low drive from sub Adam Kay to secure a point.

Burnley: Weaver, Hoskin, McEneaney, Harvey, Long, Caldwell (Woods 46), A MacDonald (Kay 85), Gudjonsson, Rodriguez, Thompson (Fletcher 46), Nimani. Subs not used: D MacDonald, Anderson.

Wanderers: Lainton, Riley (Campbell 46), Blakeman, Bennett, Burns, McDonald, O'Halloran, Sheridan, Sampson (McGeechan 46), Irwin, Harsanyi. Subs not used: Lynch, Odelusi, McGregor.

Referee: Mr M Heywood.

By Adrian Ward