Ola Aina of Fulham scores their side's first goal past Nick Pope of Burnley as Robbie Brady of Burnley attempts to clear the ball during the Premier League match between Burnley and Fulham at Turf Moor on February 17, 2021 in Burnley, England.
Relegation-threatened Fulham lost some of the momentum built up by their win at Everton but showed battling qualities to claim a point at Burnley.
Of the three sides currently adrift at the bottom of the Premier League, the Cottagers seem the most capable of clawing their way to safety, as illustrated by their impressive win at Goodison Park on Sunday.
But they failed to repeat that bright and incisive display at Turf Moor against a typically hard-working and competitive Clarets side, who married their industry with the game's main moments of attacking ingenuity.
It was the visitors, though, who took the lead, as much through fortune as design, with Ola Aina's chested effort from a corner finding the net despite an attempted clearance from Robbie Brady on the line.
Crucially, the visitors were denied the time to draw confidence from the opener, with Burnley hitting back three minutes later through a well-taken Ashley Barnes finish, following a superb low ball from Jay Rodriguez.
REPORT | Clarets hit back again as Ashley Barnes’ equaliser secures important point. 📰#BURFUL | #UTC
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) February 17, 2021
The same two strikers had both narrowly failed to get a goal-bound touch on a superb low cross from James Tarkowski in the first half, while Rodriguez saw a low drive kicked away by Alphonse Areola shortly after his side had levelled the score.
The draw represents an opportunity missed for Burnley to put further ground between themselves and the London side, with the gap between the two a sizeable but not yet entirely comfortable eight points.
Scott Parker's side remain six points shy of safety, with Newcastle the 17th-placed side most in danger of being reeled in.
