Proctor pulls off great escape

City looked dead and buried after having both Mark Bower and Danny Cadamarteri sent off by poor official Mike Dean. But Proctor tapped home after great work by sub Claus Jorgensen to level after Burnley had overcome Andy Gray's first-half strike with goals from ex-Bantam Robbie Blake and Gareth Taylor.

City's injury jinx claimed another victim when Portsmouth target Ashley Ward failed a pre-match fitness test on the tight hamstring which had prevented him from training since Tuesday's defeat at Leicester.

Wayne Jacobs came in for his first start of the season with Cadamarteri moving back into attack from midfield to partner Proctor in Ward's absence.

With Peter Atherton out for up to eight weeks with a groin tear, his place in the centre of midfield was taken by the recalled Paul Evans. Alongside him on-loan youngster Stephen Warnock made his home debut aiming to build on two impressive outings so far.

Burnley made one change from the side which drew 2-2 with Millwall in midweek. But Robbie Blake, returning to the Bradford & Bingley Stadium for the first time since his £1m move across the Pennines in January, had to again make do with a place on the Clarets bench.

Jacobs, who had played only 49 minutes football before today, lined up in left midfield as Nicky Law resisted the temptation to change the 4-4-2 formation.

Glen Little was brought down five yards outside the City box and from the short free-kick Lee Briscoe drifted a shot wide. Andy Myers was pulled up for a push on Dimitri Papadopoulos but Gareth Taylor headed Little's in-swinging kick well wide.

Gray had a cross cut out by Dean West and then, in the seventh minute, whipped in another dangerous ball just beyond the stretching Proctor.

After ten minutes Gus Uhlenbeek won the game's first corner off left back Mark McGregor and as City kept Burnley penned back, Robert Molenaar tested Marlon Beresford from 25 yards.

Mark Bower slid in from behind on Papadopoulos who spun dramatically in the air but the foul earned the centre-half a yellow card. The pair tangled again as Bower headed away under pressure as far as Taylor, who sent a snap-shot wide.

But it was City who drew first blood after 17 minutes following a lovely inter-change down the left involving Jacobs, Proctor and Myers.

As Burnley's defence was cut open, Myers pulled the ball back from the byline to Danny Cadamarteri who scuffed his shot but it fell straight to GRAY to slide home his third goal of the season and first at Valley Parade.

Davison came to the edge of his box towards the corner flag and then back-pedalled as Papadopoulos reached a loose ball first. Molenaar came across to tackle and then nearly got in a tangle when the ball rebounded up into his face. McGregor came thundering into a challenge with Gray on the touchline and the winger landed heavily on his left arm, which is still bandaged to protect his broken hand. But he was quickly able to resume.

Then Cadamarteri went down after a knee in the back from Arthur Gnohere.

Burnley were looking distinctly ordinary, particularly in defence, and not a patch on the team that had won 3-2 on the same ground a year ago.

Evans searched out Proctor with a raking pass in the 28th minute which the Sunderland man brought down on the left angle of the Burnley box. He cleverly flicked the ball over Ian Cox and then the crowd were screaming for a penalty as the defender appeared to handle the loose ball but referee Mike Dean was unimpressed.

The tackles were still flying in and Papadopoulos levelled the bookings count for a foul on his earlier challenger Bower.

City were quickly closing down their opponents and the fighting attitude was typified by Evans who recovered from losing possession on halfway by chasing down Taylor to snap at his heels and win it back

Molenaar was caught flat-footed by Cook's sudden break after 35 minutes and Papadopoulos got in goal-side of the Dutchman. But Molenaar's presence was enough to put off the Clarets striker, who failed to get in a shot.

But City were reduced to ten men a minute later when Bower challenged Papadopoulos as the Greek threatened to get away. The referee gave Burnley the free-kick before calling over Bower for his second booking - and a red card.

The home fans were fuming and, after giving the departing centre-half a standing ovation, turned their anger on the official. Uhlenbeek and Taylor clashed heads in the City goal-mouth as boos continued to ring round the stadium.

Papadopoulos was arch enemy number one with the Carlsberg Stand and was loudly booed as he failed to reach a low cross from Little, who had now switched to the left flank.

Jacobs was knocked over by Taylor in another touchline tussle. The City veteran wagged a finger in the direction of the beanpole striker, who was then booked.

As the half moved into added time, Uhlenbeek turned in a cross which Cadamarteri met with a flying header that Beresford just about bundled round the post.

Half-time: City 1 Burnley 0

Stan Ternent made two changes for the second half, bringing on Alan Moore and Blake for McGregor and Papadopoulos. Blake got another cheer from the home supporters and applauded them as he ran on.

Straight from the kick-off Myers and Taylor ran into each other. Taylor looked all right to continue but Myers was limping heavily before he ran back on.

Cook dumped Evans on the floor after 53 minutes and then stood angrily over the Welsh international as he lay on the ground. Myers pulled the Burnley midfielder away as a crowd of players quickly gathered in the centre circle.

Referee Dean had a chat with his linesman and booked Cook. But straight from the free-kick City were in further disciplinary hot water when Cadamarteri was shown an instant red card for a clash with West.

The official indicated that an elbow had been used by the striker who was given his marching orders while the Burnley right back still received treatment.

The ground now threatened to explode, with City facing the difficult task of hanging on for the victory despite being two players short.

Proctor was left up front on his own, with Warnock given instructions by his manager to push forward whenever possible.

But Burnley were level after 57 minutes - and inevitably it was Blake who scored the equaliser.

West popped up in space on the right-hand side of the penalty area and he squared for BLAKE, whose shot from 10 yards took a deflection off Myers past Davison. To rub salt into City's wounds, it was Burnley's first shot on target.

The home fans were still roaring their team on and Gray was only just wide with a side-foot from just outside the box. But Burnley's tails were up and they finally won a corner on the hour which was well claimed above Cox by Davison.

Little soon forced another off Uhlenbeek as Burnley turned the screw. City broke from it through Gray and Warnock's hard-running won a corner at the other end off Tony Grant.

Blake was now being booed as he sprayed a useful pass to Briscoe on the left wing. The cross was worked back into the danger zone where Uhlenbeek just managed to get it away from Taylor.

Burnley made their third change in the 63rd minute with Gnohere being replaced by fit-again club captain Steve Davis.

Both sides were trading corners and from a Burnley one taken short to Little, his curling ball to the far post should have been turned in by West.

Burnley were getting closer and in the 74th minute Moore's cross picked out Taylor whose diving header was just the wrong side of the post.

Uhlenbeek launched a magnificent ball out of defence and momentarily it looked like Proctor had got beyond his two markers Cox and Davis but the Burnley duo managed to squeeze him out.

But Burnley's second goal had to come and two minutes later it did. Little floated the ball in from the right and TAYLOR was in acres of room to power a downward header beyond the diving Davison.

As the striker celebrated his first goal of the campaign, the City fans showed their frustration by chanting "2-1 to the referee".

Still Burnley pushed forward and Blake, relishing the time and room he was finding, teed up Little for a lob.

Claus Jorgensen came on for Myers with nine minutes to go.

Then with only four seconds left of normal time, City somehow dug out an equaliser.

Jorgensen charged in on the right and was denied by the diving Beresford. The ball bounced back out and from the tightest of angles, the Dane hit the rebound against the post. But it ran across the goal mouth where PROCTOR had the easy task of tapping in.

Valley Parade went wild and assistant manager Ian Banks set off on a celebration dance along the touchline. Before play resumed, Banks became the third City "player" to be sent off.