By Our Man at Turf Moor
BURNLEY put their Premier League survival jitters to one side as they unleashed a brutal FA Cup beating on shell-shocked Millwall.
Veteran hitman Ashley Barnes rolled back the years with a clinical double, spearheading a 5-1 demolition that saw Scott Parker’s men cruise into the fourth round with gears to spare.
Despite making eight changes from the side that drew with Manchester United earlier in the week, the Clarets looked every bit the top-flight heavyweights.
They didn’t just beat the Lions; they declawed them.
It took just 11 minutes for the 36-year-old Barnes to break the deadlock, tapping home after fine work from Jacob Bruun Larsen. It was a sign of things to come.
While Millwall captain Jake Cooper forced a smart save from Max Weiß, the visitors were soon drowning in a sea of Claret.
Loum Tchaouna doubled the lead with a fizzing low strike before Jaidon Anthony effectively ended the contest before the half-time oranges, finishing off another Bruun Larsen assist to make it 3-0.
Millwall boss Alex Neil watched on in horror as his side’s defense crumbled. The fourth arrived after the hour mark when a defensive howler allowed the predatory Barnes to sweep home his second of the afternoon.
The rout was completed in the 89th minute when substitute Jaydon Banel pounced for his first Burnley goal.
Josh Coburn’s injury-time consolation for the Lions was so late it barely registered on the scoreboard, let alone the mood of the home faithful.
Burnley Boss Scott Parker said:
”Ashley sets an incredible example. He’s tireless behind the scenes, and today he showed exactly why he’s still so vital for this football club.”