Egan makes first league start for Burnley as Clarets fail to go top

A fine strike from Connor Roberts was not enough to take Burnley to the top of the Championship as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough.

With John Egan and Josh Cullen starting for the Clarets and up against international team-mate Finn Azaz, it was a game no doubt of interest to Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Halgrimsson.

It marked Egan's first league start for the club since joining from Sheffield United on a free transfer in September.

At a wet and windy Turf Moor, Roberts' 25-yard effort in the 37th minute cancelled out Anfernee Dijksteel's 13th-minute opener.

Ultimately two sides managed before one-time England team-mates Scott Parker and Michael Carrick could not be separated as Burnley were left a point behind Sheffield United, who travel to West Brom on Sunday, while Boro stay fifth.

Burnley came into the match on the back of five straight clean sheets but, given Boro's record of 13 goals in their last three away games, it was perhaps no surprise that run did not last. What was surprising was how easy it appeared to breach Burnley's defence for the first time in 501 minutes.

Dijksteel burst down the right to start the move and was there to end it when Bashir Humphreys failed to track him as he latched on to Dan Barlaser's pass, breaking into the box and prodding the ball over James Trafford for his first Championship goal.

Burnley responded well, and it needed good reactions from Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng to scoop Cullen's shot over the bar after a wicked deflection off Dael Fry.

With swirling winds, the precursor to Storm Darragh, blowing spare balls on to the pitch, Burnley kept up the pressure as Jeremy Sarmiento tried to arrow in a shot which Dieng palmed into the side-netting.

At the other end Ben Doak,