Owen Coyle is still looking for his first home win as Burnley boss after Preston North End took all three points in a controversial Lancashire derby.

The Clarets had Chris McCann and Joey Gudjonsson sent off in an explosive second half which saw referee Lee Mason award the home side their first free kick in the 89th minute!

Burnley, who were incredibly denied an early penalty when Matt Hill clearly handled Kyle Lafferty's goalbound shot, took the lead through the Northern Ireland striker on 30 minutes.

Goals from Chris Sedgwick on the stroke of half time and Neil Mellor early in the second half put the visitors ahead.

McCann equalised and was then sent off for an over-the-top challenge. And to compound the Clarets misery, Gudjonsson also earned a straight red for a highly contentious 'stamp' on Mellor after Simon Whaley had sealed victory for North End.

Referee Mason, it has to be said, had a 90 minutes to forget and needed a heavy police escort after the final whistle after being confronted by angry Burley players and their manager.

Coyle had been forced to change his starting line up for the first time since taking over at Turf Moor, with Stephen Jordan stepping in for Clarke Carlisle.

The sparks were flying early in the game and Robbie Blake almost opened the scoring just 90 seconds into the game but his shot, after jinxing inside, was well saved by Andy Lonergan.

The follow up from Kyle Lafferty clearly hit Hill on the arm on the goalline but referee Mason waved away the appeals to the disbelief of all inside Turf Moor.

The amazing let off spurred North End, on but aside from a couple of poor long-range efforts in the opening 15 minutes, the visitors failed to trouble the Burnley backline.

Lafferty and Blake teamed up again on 16 minutes but the latter's ball across the six yard line just evaded both Andy Gray and McCann when a touch from either would have seen the Clarets take the lead.

Gabor Kiraly had to be on his toes twice on 27 minutes when first Neil Mellor, then on-loan striker Paul Gallagher tested him with shots from the edge of the box.

But it was the Clarets who finally lit the fuse on 30 minutes when a great cross into the box from Wade Elliott was only half-cleared by Liam Chilvers to Lafferty, who looped a header into the net from just eight yards out.

On 40 minutes the Clarets had a great chance to double their lead when a quick break saw Blake, Mahon and Elliott up against a lone North End defender. However, Blake held on to the ball for a moment too long and his ball through to Elliott forced the winger wide and allowed Hill to get back and clear the shot.

And with injury time beckoning at the end of the first half fast, the visitors dragged themselves back level when a cross from Neil Mellor, after a marauding run from Sean St Ledger, found Chris Sedgwick, who had the simplest of tasks to stroke the ball home from close range.

Gudjonsson replaced the injured Alan Mahon at half time and less than 10 minutes into the second half, Coyle was forced to change things again with Lafferty hobbling off to be replaced by Steve Jones.

Disaster struck just a minute later when North End took the lead. A looping ball over the top was well controlled by Mellor, who took his time and bobbled his shot passed Gabor Kiraly.

Steve Jones instantly wasted a great opportunity to get Burnley back level when he directed his header wide following great wing play by Elliott.

But McCann grabbed the equaliser the Clarets craved on 62 minutes when he chased down a Blake through ball and slipped the ball under North End keeper Lonergan to send Turf Moor into raptures.

However, the young Irishman had barely finished celebrating when, four more minutes later Mason sent him off for a two-footed challenge on St Ledger - despite McCann riding an earlier foul that went unpunished.

Mason, who was now losing control, also booked Robbie Blake for his part in the ensuing melee.

Blake was immediately sacrificed in favour of James O'Connor as Clarets boss Coyle reshuffled his pack in the hope of forcing a winner.

But it was now Preston doing the pressing and on 80 minutes a shot from Paul Gallagher from 20 yards smashed against the bar and bounced down onto the line before Kiraly's grab brought a collective sigh of relief from three sides of Turf Moor.

But Whaley, who ironically looked set to be substituted before a mix up with the numbers board, finally hammered the nail into Burnley's coffin on 81 minutes when he was given the space to unleash a shot from 20 yards and into the bottom corner.

Andy Gray almost snatched an unlikely equaliser in the dying moments, but his shot in the area was well saved by Lonergan.

And when David Unsworth saw his free kicked tipped over the bar on 90 minutes the final chance to save a point went begging.

There was just time for Mason to take centre stage yet again when he sent Gudjonsson off deep into stoppage time.

All in all, a day that Burnley - and certainly the man in black - will want to forget!

Burnley: Kiraly, Harley, Alexander, Unsworth, Jordan, Mahon (Gudjonsson 46), Elliott, McCann, Lafferty (Jones 53), Gray, Blake (O'Connor 67).
Subs: Jensen, Akinbiyi.

Bookings: Blake 67, Elliott 90
Sent off: McCann 66, Gudjonsson 90

Preston North End: Lonergan, Davidson, Sedgwick, Gallagher (Hawley 87), St Ledger, Chilvers, Whaley, McKenna (Carter 48), Hill, Jones (Mawene 75), Mellor.
Subs: L Neal, C Neal.

Bookings: Mellor 31

Att: 14,829