A last gasp Chris McCann goal gave Burnley a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Turf Moor. Town were unlucky not to leave Lancashire with a point having dominated the game in spells, unmarked McCann heading in an Alan Mahon corner as the game entered injury time.
Boss Jim Magilton switched Alex Bruce to right-back in place of the suspended Fabian Wilnis. Into the centre of the defence came Richard Naylor, while Gary Roberts, making his first Town start, and Mark Noble came into a five-man midfield with Alan Lee up front on his own. Billy Clarke dropped out due to his knee injury and Jaime Peters moved on to the bench.
Town started brightly and Mark Noble's early overhead kick was blocked by a defender. On 10 Alan Lee was sent away one-on-one with Burnley keeper Brian Jensen but the Irishman's shot from a tight angle was pushed into the sidenetting.
The Blues completely dominated the first 20 minutes or so, but despite that possession couldn't create chances, Alan Lee all too often left the only man inside the area with Town's midfielders passing the ball around the edge of the area from one side of the pitch to the other.
On 25 the Clarets weren't far away from going in front with their first attack. Keeper Shane Supple appeared to be dragged to the ground by Gifton Noel-Williams as a corner came in, but replacement referee Phil Joslin saw no foul. With Supple still grounded, Simon Walton threw himself in front of Chris McCann's goal-bound strike.
The home side came more into the game and in the 31st minute Steve Jones left Alex Bruce for dead on the Burnley left before cutting in and hitting a strike which gave Supple little trouble.
Clarets' striker Andy Gray was lucky to escape without a card moments later when he kicked Shane Supple in the shin as the keeper rushed out of his area to head the ball away from the former Sheffield United man.
Town switched Gary Roberts from the right to the left with Matt Richards making the opposite move, before Alan Lee's shot on the turn from the edge of the area went only narrowly past Jensen's post.
Alex Bruce, who wasn't enjoying his outing at right-back, picked up his ninth yellow card in 14 games for Town for a foul on Jones. The former Birmingham man is now only one caution away from a two-match ban. Just before the break, Simon Walton was lucky not to join Bruce in the referee's book for a late tackle.
Town had started the half controlling the game but the Clarets gradually gained momentum as the game wore on, although neither side had created too many chances.
No changes at the break for Town and it was the home side who would start the half the more dangerous. Gray lobbed the advancing Supple only for Naylor to head the ball over the bar.
On 49 Bruce was caught sleeping as he allowed a ball to run through to Supple, only for Jones to slip behind him and, fortunately for Town, shoot across the face of goal.
A minute later Jason De Vos picked up his second yellow card of the season for foul on the much-transgressed Jones.
Alex Bruce was well beaten by Jones in the 55th minute but Supple was equal to his 25-yard shot. Two minutes later, the flagging Bruce was replaced by Sito.
On the hour, Alan Lee received his third yellow card of the season for a handball, the decision to book the former Burnley striker a not unpopular decision with the home support.
Lee made a strong run down the right in the 67th minute, but saw his shot deflect into the sidenetting with a number of Town players waiting for a cross in the penalty area. After the corner was cleared to the edge of the area, Mark Noble's shot was blocked.
The Blues were starting to become an attacking force once more after a long spell on the back foot. Walton was unlucky not to score with a 25-yard strike which Jensen did well to push round the post.
Recent Town loan signing Gary Roberts had the ball in the net in the 75th minute but Alan Lee had delayed his pass for too long and the Accrington Stanley man had strayed offside.
Former Town loanee Alan Mahon shot wide from 30 yards shortly after being introduced as a substitute.
With three minutes remaining, Lee sent Noble away bearing down on goal with a flick but a defender got back to dispossess the loanee from West Ham.
The fourth official was holding up his board when Burnley finally broke the deadlock. Mahon sent in a corner and McCann rose unmarked to beat Supple from a few yards out.
The goal was a bitter blow for the Blues who had largely kept the Clarets from anything other than strikes from distance.
In the closing minutes, Burnley's Micah Hyde was shown a second yellow and then a red card for a poor challenge on Dan Harding. As the final whistle drew close, there was a minor scuffle in the area with Burnley players claiming that Lee had elbowed McCann.
While unlucky not to take a point from the game, the Blues were rarely at their best. The early possession wasn't turned into chances, something which has generally been the case when Jim Magilton's side has utilised five midfielders and only one attacker.
The home side were well organised and put Town under pressure, which they appeared to have resisted until McCann was left to his own devices to net the winner in the closing moments. Perhaps the Blues were showing some tiredness after three games in six days, but it is by no means the first time over the last couple of seasons that an individual error at a set piece has cost Town a goal and as a consequence points.
Town: Supple, Bruce (Sito 57), Harding, Naylor, De Vos, Walton, Noble, Richards, Legwinski, Roberts, Lee. Unused: Haynes, Peters, Currie, Drobný. Att: 11,709.