GOATER HAT-TRICK SEALS CITY WIN

It was harsh on Burnley, who battled well despite being reduced to 10 men shortly before half-time, as they twice fought back from going behind, but in the end the extra man told as The Citizens ran out comfortable winners.

After an uninspiring opening, City began to settle and they took the lead with virtually the first attack of the match.

Danny Tiatto's pinpoint cross found the head of Goater and he rose above Steve Davis to head powerfully beyond Nicos Michopoulos in the Burnley goal.

Davis then endured a torrid five minutes as he failed to cope with the physical presence of City's front two, but he made amends after 25 minutes when he  headed home from a corner to bring Burnley level.

Burnley then enjoyed their most productive spell and City had Steve Howey to thank when he came to City's rescue and blocked Glenn Little's shot on the line, but the match swung in City's favour when Gordon Armstrong was sent off for handling Tony Grant's goal-bound shot inside the box.

However, there was some respite for the Clarets when Kevin Horlock's weakly struck spot-kick was easily saved by Michopoulos.

Burnley refused to lie down though, and Taylor should have done better when he headed over Little's wonderful cross on the stroke of half time.

The home side continued to put City under pressure and Little almost gave them the lead after some good work down the left, but minutes later City went ahead through their Costa Rican hit-man.

Richard Dunne's outrageous backheel set Edghill clear down the right and he crossed for Wanchope to guide a header beyond the despairing dive of Michopoulos.

However, Burnley came back strongly and were level straight away when Briscoe capitalised on some dreadful defending to bundle the ball home from close range.

But again City regained the lead when Goater's shot took a huge deflection to leave Michopoulos wrong footed, and from then on it was all one-way traffic.

Tiatto had a glorious chance to put the match beyond the reach of Burnley, but he tried to be too flash from eight yards and put the ball wide of the post, and Goater was desperately unlucky to see his volley come back off the inside of the post after some more neat play.

As the match continued at a frantic pace, Burnley begun to tire and City continued to create chances almost at will.

Wanchope fired hopelessly over after another flowing City move, but Goater secured his hat-trick when he rounded Michopoulos to roll the ball into an empty net four minutes from time.

Goater could have had a fourth when he found himself one-on-one with Michopoulos, but his tired effort caused little problem for the Greek international.

City boss Kevin Keegan will be delighted with the maximum six-point haul from their bank holiday weekend, but while he will be pleased with the nine goals and hatful of chances they have created from their two matches, he will be disappointment with the ease at which Burnley created openings with just 10 men, and the four goals he has seen his side concede.

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