James Trafford and Josh Laurent celebrate one of his penalty savesRex Features

James Trafford's Burnley have only conceded nine goals in 27 Championship games

Adam Lanigan at Turf Moor
BBC Sport England

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford saved two Wilson Isidor penalty kicks as they played out a dramatic goalless draw with Sunderland.

The first one arrived in the 86th minute when Trafford kept out Isidor's powerful effort, before he repeated the feat in the fifth minute of stoppage time as the French striker again went to the goalkeeper's right.

The penalty saves preserved Burnley's unbeaten home record and enabled them to move level on points with Leeds United at the top of the Championship, albeit with an inferior goal difference.

However, Isidor's misses cost the Black Cats the chance to overtake their opponents and draw level with the Yorkshire side as they remain fourth, two points behind the joint leaders, with Sheffield United sandwiched in between.

When the Black Cats won the reverse fixture back in August, it was the first sign that they meant business this season after the arrival of the previously unknown Regis Le Bris.

Nobody was really expecting them to still be in the hunt for automatic promotion five months later, but they have shown admirable sticking power up to this point.

That Saturday afternoon on Wearside was also a first defeat for Scott Parker's Burnley. Remarkably, there has only been one more in the subsequent 23 games.

The Clarets' goal has been kept under lock and key with only nine conceded in their 26 matches - and only four at home - as the foundation for their push for an immediate return to the top flight.

Rex Features

Burnley and Sunderland have lost only six out of a combined 54 games this season

Dogged defence but short of goals

On an atmospheric evening under the lights, the two teams played with the confidence of sides enjoying strong campaigns.

French centre-back Maxime Esteve provided a shining example of defensive quality with a crucial goal-saving tackle on countryman Isidor after the striker had nicked Chris Rigg's long ball past the onrushing Trafford.

But Burnley had big chances of their own as Connor Roberts shot straight at Anthony Patterson after Chris Mepham had shanked a clearance to the Wales defender.

Then Patterson produced an outstanding save as Lyle Foster played in Jaidon Anthony whose effort was destined for the far corner until the keeper's intervention.

One criticism that can be levelled at Parker's team is their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal. Promotion teams in any division usually have a better scoring rate than their 1.19 goals per game.

In comparison, when they won the Championship in 2023 with Vincent Kompany at the helm, their final average was 1.89 goals per game.

That was underlined within minutes of the second half starting as from Josh Brownhill's nod down, Zian Flemming screwed his volley wide from 10 yards when he should have hit the target as Burnley played out an eighth 0-0 draw of the season.

Not Isidor's night

Sunderland had Enzo Le Fee making his debut after joining on loan from Roma, and the midfielder showed a glimpse of what he can offer with some terrific skill and a fabulous pass to put Isidor away for their best chance, but he struck the outside of the post.

If Isidor should have put that one away, it was nothing compared with what was to follow.

He grabbed the ball after he had been brought down by CJ Egan-Riley, possibly outside the 18-yard box on first glance, and went for power, but Trafford guessed right and parried it away.

The two were then protagonists again deep into injury time as Anthony Backhouse awarded a second penalty kick after Dennis Cirkin was brought down by substitute Oliver Sonne.

Isidor grabbed the ball again but was made to wait as Trafford needed treatment and was then booked for timewasting before going went for the same spot, albeit closer to the corner, but Trafford repeated his heroics by again getting down to it to make a brilliant save.

These were the first spot-kicks saved by Trafford since the 2023 European Under-21 Championship final when he saved Abel Ruiz's effort in injury-time as England defeated Spain.

As Trafford basked in adulation, Isidor, Sunderland's top scorer this season, played the final minutes in a daze, unable to comprehend what had happened and he needed consoling at the final whistle.

What impact this has on his and his team's promotion hopes, only time will tell.

Burnley head coach Scott Parker said:

"It's a massive point for us in the scheme of where the game was. Two penalties and the game could have looked very different if not for James Trafford and the saves he's made.

"Not many words can describe what he's produced. I don't think I've been involved in a game like that one at the end.

"Both were very good penalties and Traff has flown across his goal. Everything about him in terms of those big saves, we owe him one tonight."

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris said:

"We created five or six chances so we can be disappointed that we didn't score, but it shows that we can play a tough team away.

"Wilson is disappointed, like the team. But football is like that. You can make mistakes but you have to learn from them. It's the best way to improve and grow. I am sure he can put this behind him, 100%.

"You have to deal with difficult experiences. The goalkeeper made two good saves, they weren't poor penalties."

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