HART ACHE FOR DYCHE
Rocky return for Clarets pair
BURNLEY’S two former England stars Danny Drinkwater and Joe Hart endured a torrid night as the Clarets crashed out to lower-league opposition again.
Drinkwater blundered to set up Sunderland’s equaliser in the on-loan Chelsea midfielder’s first game since last year’s Community Shield.
Hart also had a harrowing night in his first appearance since the 5-1 Boxing Day mauling by Everton and he spilled a shot to gift Sunderland their second.
Burnley’s latest Cup exit meant Sean Dyche’s side had lost to a lower-league team for the sixth successive season in the competition.
Sunderland stretched their winning run to five games and they remain unbeaten this season under Jack Ross.
But defeat marred Jay Rodriguez’s night after he marked his full debut on his return home to Burnley by scoring his first goal for his beloved Clarets for 2,727 days.
Matej Vydra played Rodriguez in on the right and the striker, signed this summer from West Brom for £10million, coolly slotted home past Lee Burge after just 11 minutes.
Burnley were denied a second by the woodwork when Aaron Lennon shot against the right-hand post and Vydra hit the other upright from the rebound.
Drinkwater then made an assist, but for the wrong side as he inadvertently directed Denver Hume’s cross straight to the unmarked Will Grigg, who beat Hart to end his 13game goal drought.
Sunderland scored two more goals inside the first five minutes of the second half.
Hart could only parry Dylan McGeouch’s drive in the 47th minute and Tom Flanagan nodded the rebound home from close range.
Then a clever short-corner routine saw Luke O’Nien tee up George Dobson to fire home his first goal for the club.