Mikkel Ladefoged marked his first league start with a second-half brace as Lincoln City blew struggling Burnley away to secure an emphatic 4-1 Championship victory at Sincil Bank.

The visitors led through substitute Andreas Hountndji's strike before Ben House levelled in first-half stoppage time.

And the damage was done within eight second-half minutes as Ladefoged and Dom Jefferies ensured the Imps secured victory in the first league meeting between the two sides this century on a miserable afternoon in Lincolnshire.

Danish striker Ladefoged put the game beyond doubt with his second with just over 20 minutes to go but the writing was already on the wall.

Burnley's afternoon got even worse when George Wickens saved Marcus Edwards' penalty late on.

Both managers rung the changes in a bid to get back to winning ways and it was Tom Shaw who ended his side's winless run of four games to go seven points safe of the danger zone as Burnley remained rooted inside the dreaded bottom three with the pressure continuing to mount on under-fire boss Nicky Hayen.

Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League last term, have won just one game all season with calls for Hayen's head mounting among the club's disgruntled fans.

The hosts almost got off to the perfect start when Romanian international Andrei Coubis had the ball in the net inside the first five minutes, only for it rightfully to be ruled out for offside.

Lincoln's Reeco Hackett blocked Max Alleyne's effort on the line to keep the game goalless in the 25th minute.

The Clarets hit the front in the 39th minute when Hountndji, who came off the bench after 11 minutes to replace the injured Armando Broja, tapped home Lucas Pires' in-swinging corner at the back post.

But the lead didn't last long as House poked home at the back post himself after Coubis' long throw evaded everyone in the box deep in first-half stoppage time.

And Lincoln led minutes into the second half as 23-year-old Ladefoged curled an unstoppable strike from close range home with Gregoire Coudert well beaten.

Welshman Jefferies netted his first league goal since March with a strike from outside the box after Burnley failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Ladefoged made it four in the 67th minute when he headed home House's cross into the top right corner.

Ryley Towler felled Hountondji in the box, but Wickens guessed correctly to rub salt into the already gaping Clarets' wounds six minutes from time.

• Watch FREE Championship highlights | Latest EFL news and rumours
• Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream EFL games with no contract📺

Play Super 6!

Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! Enter for free.

The managers

Lincoln's Tom Shaw:

"I'm delighted. I'm delighted for a few groups of people… the staff and the players for the work ethic and what goes on behind the scenes that you really don't see.

"Probably more importantly than anyone is the supporters. We felt we owed them one for the West Ham experience. It's a game we wish we could have back. We owed them something.

"We felt we were a little bit short points wise for our performances here. So we knew this was a big day and a big opportunity.

"We got our reward of Lincoln City beating Burnley 4-1 in a league game.

"You've got to remember the journey and all the people that helped us get here.

"Obviously we had the West Ham experience and then Millwall away with those last 20 minutes at The Den (drawing 2-2 from 2-0 up).

"That feeling at full-time, for everybody, was amazing. It was just an amazing day and one to build on for us.

"That's what we want this football team to look like and play like.

"We've got nothing to fear when you can see what our group is capable of."

Burnley head coach Nicky Hayen:

"We had one saved on the line and then scored a goal. And you think you can push on even more, but then we conceded another easy goal. A throw in went to the second post and no one takes responsibility to clear it and they react faster than us.

"It's the same story of the season for us that we keep conceding easy goals and you saw that in the second half.

"They want to work hard, but you have to show it. What we do in training is really good, but we can't execute that the same way in the games. Is that pressure? I don't know.

"It's frustrating for everyone, especially the fans. I want to apologise to them, but I know it doesn't matter because it's another hard defeat for them and I can understand their criticism.

"We haven't got the results. I will keep on working hard as long as I have the chance. But there will be a day if it carries on like this that it stops.

"I don't know (if I will still be in charge). I know it's a really tough defeat and something to think about for the board."

What the result means and next fixtures...

• Championship fixtures