Football: Goater hat-trick as City run riot

Burnley 0 Manchester City 6

JOE ROYLE'S side are a country mile further down the road to recovery of their perceived rightful place in the top flight that these two fallen giants graced 23 years ago when Manchester City last visited Turf Moor in the League.

Burnley entered the game on the back of a 5-0 home thumping by Gillingham and only avoided even further humiliation when City were unable to convert a customary portion of their second-half chances. The dismal outlook prompted Stan Ternent, Burnley's manager, to reconsider his future. "I'm going to have a chat to the chairman and take it from there," he said.

In total contrast, City stretched their unbeaten Second Division run to 12 games, courtesy of Shaun Goater's hat-trick and an embarrassing Burnley capitulation.

Royle was duly delighted. "It has been coming. Someone was going to get it sooner or later. We've been on top in other games as much and not scored the goals," he observed.

His side overran midfield and the majority of goals were laid on a plate as late runners coasted through the home defence. First, Terry Cooke found Kevin Horlock sneaking in undetected at the back post to set up a low drilled strike with instant first-touch control. Andy Morrison created a cushion before half- time with an unchallenged thundering header from Cooke's corner.

The rout gathered momentum when a punted clearance from keeper Nicky Weaver was glanced on by Gareth Taylor and lashed home by Goater, who again benefited from the same source with a simple tap-in moments later. His hat-trick was completed within 15 minutes when the Bermudan striker bundled in a similar effort.

Even Goater's replacement, Daniel Allsopp, was allowed a slice of the action with another awkward close-range finish to an incisive attack. The omens for Burnley are not good - 23 years ago they were relegated.

Burnley (4-4-2): Crichton; Moore (Maylett, 45), Davis, Reid, Morgan; Little, Mellon, Ford, Armstrong; Payton, Branch, Substitutes not used: Williamson, Vindheim.

Manchester City. (4-4-2): Weaver; Crooks, Wiekens (Vaughan, 65), Morrison, Edghill; Cooke, Brown, Bishop, Horlock; Taylor, Goater (Allsopp, 69). Substitute not used: Tiatto.

Referee: J Kirkby (Sheffield).