It's all about Akinbiyi

He’d already elbowed him and then grabbed him by the throat and there seemed to be little if any provocation at all other than he had been pulled up for a foul incorrectly.

Referee Iain Williamson, who had something close to a nightmare, got this one right and showed him the red card and I’m afraid the most biased of Burnley fans will find it difficult to defend this.

His short time on the pitch saw him get onto a loose ball after Sunderland keeper Thomas Myhre saved well from Pete Whittingham and that led to Mo Camara crossing for him to get a header on goal that he should have scored from.

There was disappointment for the home crowd before kick off when he was named only as a substitute and there was just one change to the side that had fought so well at Ewood on Tuesday with Graham Branch coming in for the ineligible John Oster.

Somewhat surprisingly Branch took the lone striker role with Ian Moore going onto the right hand side of the midfield.

It was a scrappy sort of start inside a quiet Turf Moor which was back to normal after the recent cup ties. Neither side were able to get on top and neither goalkeeper had much to do.

The Clarets came close to taking the lead and would have done but for the slightest of headed touches from Sunderland’s Gary Breen who was just able to deflect a Jean-Louis Valois cross away as Micah Hyde looked set to head us in front.

We looked as though we were getting on top but there was little penetration but Sunderland were hardly threatening us. That changed though and around half way through the first half they took the lead.

It came from a corner on the right that went beyond the far post. Marcus Stewart hit it back in and it deflected off both Pete Whittingham and Micah Hyde and left Liam Lawrence with a free header.

That changed the pattern of the game and for the rest of the first half Sunderland were on top and could quite easily have added to their lead but we held on to the interval just a goal behind.

It had been a surprise to see Tony Grant out there given the injury he picked up on Tuesday but it was no surprise to see him substituted at the start of the second half. Lee Roche came on as his replacement with a reshuffle seeing Ian Moore move up to partner Branch up front.

The changes appeared to make little difference as Sunderland looked to get a vital second goal but we then forced two free kicks on the edge of the box but didn’t trouble Myhre with either. Valois had the first effort that went into the wall and Hyde blazed the second one over the bar.

Ade Akinbiyi - two and a half minute debut

We were coming more and more into the game but Jensen had to be alert to keep out one effort from Michael Bridges that looked to be curling in to his right.

More attacking play from Burnley suggested that we could still get ourselves back into this game and then we had the Akinbiyi interlude, and the most incredible Burnley debut ever. His two and a half minutes has cost him a three match ban, including two against former clubs, and surely the maximum fine from the club.

Down to ten we had a mountain to climb and if it looked like Ben Nevis then referee Williamson soon turned it into Everest when he allowed a second Sunderland goal.

There was no debate over the incident when Jeff Whitley fouled Gary Cahill – it was a clear foul and it hardly mattered where you were in the ground. Williamson give nothing, his assistant did as he had done all night and agreed with the referee, and from the loose ball Chris Brown crossed for Marcus Stewart to make it two.

That was it and the poor league form continues with just one win and six points from the last eight games and in truth we hardly deserved much in this our fifth home league defeat.

There were too many players off form again but thankfully the defence was in form and only conceded one from an unfortunate double deflection and a bad refereeing decision.

Again though we hardly looked likely to score with Akinbiyi missing the one simple chance we created all night. The second half was better but still not good enough.

Micah Hyde was my man of the match again, following on from his excellent midweek performance but alongside him in that midfield were some poor performances and none more so than Pete Whittingham who, after a bright start, looks as though he hardly wants to be here. If things continue it is hardly likely he will be with us beyond the first month.

We need to start picking up points again, and soon, starting with Leicester on Tuesday when we will have three players out suspended. It doesn’t get easier.

The teams were,

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff (Ade Akinbiyi 80), Gary Cahill, Frank Sinclair, Mo Camara, Ian Moore, Micah Hyde, Tony Grant (Lee Roche 45), Pete Whittingham, Jean-Louis Valois, Graham Branch. Subs not used: Danny Coyne, Paul Scott, Joel Pilkington.

Sunderland: Thomas Myhre, Dean Whitehead, Gary Breen, Stephen Caldwell, George McCartney, Liam Lawrence, Jeff Whitley, Carl Robinson, Sean Thornton (Andy Welsh 71), Michael Bridges (Chris Brown 85), Marcus Stewart. Subs not used: Ben Alnwick, Danny Collins, Neill Collins.

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire).

Attendance: 12,103.