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Aberdeen Manager Derek McInnes made one change with Andrew Considine having recovered from his concussion and coming into the starting XI. Dom Ball took a place on the bench. An incredible Dons support welcomed the two sides onto the field on a very warm evening in Lancashire.
The opening period was as expected very frenetic with little pattern to the play. But then in the fifth minute Aberdeen lost possession from a throw in. A simple long ball then saw Wood get in between McKenna and Lewis. Although the keeper did enough to put the striker off, Wood had enough composure to step inside before firing the ball high into the net past McKenna and Devlin on the goal line.
It was the worst possible start.
On 10 minutes McGinn put over a swinging cross but Lindegaard made an easy interception. A minute later Mackay-Steven made room for a shot after cutting inside but his low shot was deflected away by skipper Ben Mee. Aberdeen then enjoyed a decent little spell as they slowly tried to get a foothold in the game.
After 16 minutes Gudmundsson put over a dangerous cross on the left but Hoban was well positioned at the near post to clear.
On 20 minutes Considine swung over a cross which was flicked on by Cosgrove and the ball found its way through to GMS. He had a great shooting chance but after taking a touch he was closed down quickly and the ball defected behind for a corner. The Dons wasted the set piece though as the ball drifted straight out of play.
On 24 minutes Aaron Lennon should have been booked for a poor attempt at a dive inside the area. Two minutes later Considine put McGinn down the line and the winger was in behind the defence. He had time to look up but there was no one there and the slight delay allowed a defender to block the cross at the expense of another corner. The ball in from GMS was cleared to Shinnie who found the wide man again and this time the dangerous ball over wasn’t dealt with by Burnley and fell to Lewis Ferguson who produced an incredible first time overhead kick to send the ball sailing into the net. What a goal!
On the half hour mark Lennon made a dangerous run into the box. His ball over was not cleared convincingly by Logan but thankfully Considine and Hoban managed to combine to scramble the ball to safety. Then a half chance for the visitors when Shinnie picked the ball up about 30 yards out but his through ball was not read by Cosgrove.
The atmosphere had completely changed around the ground, all you could here were the Red Army now.
Aberdeen then enjoyed another good spell. McGinn flashed over a cross and then when the ball came back over from the other side, Considine rose well but could not direct his header on target.
Burnley were really struggling to get anything going and Aberdeen were now stopping anything from getting forward from the midfield. After such a nervous start, they had completely turned this game around.
Wood and McKenna then clashed with the referee awarding a free kick against the Burnley man when he was one on one at the back. The home fans were not happy and The Dons centre half perhaps got away with one.
In the final minute of the half Lindegaard was forced to tip a Shinnie drive round the post. At full stretch it was a fine save. The Dons then caused problems with a couple of corners to finish the half well on top.
At half time Sean Dyche was forced to replace the injured Chris Wood with Ashley Barnes.
Burnley started the second half with purpose and it took a very good Lewis save to keep put a shot from Gudmundsson. Then the ball almost fell to Barnes. Aberdeen very struggling a bit to keep possession which was inviting pressure.
On 56 minutes McGinn was able to break forward and he picked out Hoban who had a decent opening but his shot failed to beat the nearest defender. On 57 minutes McGinn whipped in another cross which Tarkowski did well to cut it out. Aberdeen then forced two corners and then had a spell camped inside the Burnley area. Credit to The Dons as again they had showed good character to take the momentum away from the English side.
By the hour mark the game was quite even again.
After 64 minutes McGinn, who was the Dons main attacking threat, again squared up his marker before laying it off for Shinnie who was in acres of space inside the area, but his first time shot went over. It was a glorious chance.
They were almost made to pay when the ball fell to Barnes who though he had scored but Lewis managed to get a strong enough hand on it to divert the over. A save of the very highest quality.
After 69 minutes Shinnie became the first player to be booked. He was a bit unlucky as he appeared to get the ball and there had been a lot worse fouls ignored by the Italian referee. A minute later Gudmundsson was booked for foul on McGinn. On 72 minutes Ferguson set up Shinnie and his low drive was kept out by Lindegaard with a smart save. Aberdeen then forced another couple of corners and were looking the fitter team with quarter of an hour to go.
But then a major let off when a Lowton cross picked out Sam Vokes and his header crashed off the bar with Lewis getting a touch for another outstanding save. Considine was then booked for a foul on Lennon. On 78 minutes Logan found Cosgrove but his effort from the edge of the area was slightly ambitious.
With ten minutes to go, the first change by Derek McInnes. Niall McGinn was replaced by Scott Wright. Niall had been Aberdeen’s best player but looked to have run out of gas.
On 83 minutes Gudmundsson, who had switched back to the left, forced Hoban to concede a corner which Lewis claimed confidently. Cosgrove then headed clear another corner and Wright was away until Lowton cynically brought the youngster down on the half way line. Shinnie then won a free kick on the edge of the area. Wright curled the ball in but no one could get a touch at the back post.
On the 90th minute GMS won Aberdeen a corner with a neat run down the line. They then forced another one but could not create a clear opening in front of the Red Army and the three minutes of injury time came and went.
The first chance in extra time, substitute Taylor, who had just come on, his cross was met by Gudmundsson but Considine tracked his run to the near post and made a great block. There was a worrying moment in the fifth minute of extra time when Lewis was impeded by Barnes and required treatment. But thankfully the keeper, who had already made three outstanding stops, was able to continue.
In the 100th minute Cosgrove’s race was over and was replaced by Stevie May. Big Sam had another top performance and had worked tirelessly on his own up front.
Four minutes before half time in extra time Burnley regained the lead, The ball was well worked to Taylor and his cross picked out Jack Cork who headed home. The goal came out of nothing but if the Dons could score, they would still be in the driving seat.
Two minutes before the break Stevie May delivered a good free kick which the Burnley defence managed to clear but they did not look convincing.
At half time Aberdeen were still in the game but did they have any energy left? As a fourth sub was now allowed Chris Forrester came on to make his Aberdeen debut.
In the first minute of the second period of extra time May had another opportunity to put over a dangerous ball but Burnley were able to clear their lines. From the resulting throw in Dom Ball put over a low cross, across the six yard box, but May could not get a touch. With ten minutes to go Wright, who was looking bright, played over an early cross and Forrester got a touch but the ball was just a bit too strong for him.
With seven minutes to go McKenna was penalised for handball inside the area and the home side had a penalty. It was a very harsh decision as the ball hit him from very close range. Ashley Barnes tucked it away despite Lewis going the right way.
It was very harsh on Aberdeen who had given everything over the two legs. The team will now regroup for the League opener against Rangers at Pittodrie on Sunday.
Thank you to the Red Army who travelled to Lancashire for the match and safe travels home.
Burnley: Lindegaard, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward (Taylor 91), Lennon (McNeill 86), Cork, Westwood (Hedrick 105), Gudmundsson, Vokes, Wood (Barnes 45). Subs: Legzdins, Taylor, Hedrick, Bardsley, Long.
Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, McKenna, Devlin, Hoban (Ball 88), Shinnie, Considine, Ferguson, Mackay-Steven, Cosgrove (May 100), McGinn (Wright 80). Subs: Cerny, Forrester, Gleeson, Campbell.