The season of goodwill came to a disappointing end as Bristol City launched a smash-and-grab raid on a bitterly cold afternoon at Turf Moor.
A second half goal from Hungarian Tamas Vasko was enough to see the Robins take all three points back to the South West, despite Ade Akinbiyi striking the woodwork THREE times.
Bristol City looked dangerous in the opening quarter hour and Gabor Kiraly had to be sharp to beat away an Ivan Sproule effort just 90 seconds in.
Sproule almost pounced again just a minute later when a long lofted ball was left by Steven Jordan, but thankfully the winger could only steer his shot wide.
Kiraly then pulled off a superb save to deny McCombe whose looping header was well on target.
It had ben all Bristol, but Burnley slowly looked to get the upper hand and twice had strong appeals for set pieces in dangerous areas turned down by the referee in a fast and furious opening.
Persistent play from Kyle Lafferty almost saw the young Ulsterman give Burnley the lead on 14 minutes. He played a neat one-two with Ade Akinbiyi but his rasping shot from the edge of the area was well saved by the visitors' Brazilian keeper Adriano Basso.
Akinbiyi went even closer just four minutes later when his effort, following a good flick from Robbie Blake, hit the post and rolled agonisingly along the line before Lafferty's follow-up effort went wide.
Despite that shaky opening, the Clarets were now beginning to dictate play and Wade Elliott went close on the 20-minute mark with a curling effort which beat not only Basso, but also the far post.
However, the already injury and suspension-raved Clarets suffered another blow on 32 minutes when Clarke Carlisle hobbled off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury.
Replacement Steve Jones almost made an immediate impact, but his shot inside the box was well saved by Basso, who was then left scrambling across his goal as a James O'Connor strike fizzed just past his left hand post.
Predictably after such a frantic opening half hour, the game died down but despite boss Owen Coyle being forced into a tactical change with the departure of Carlisle, it was still the Clarets who had the better of the play and Akinbiyi again hit the Bristol City upright on 42 minutes.
A minute later and the former Stoke City hitman caused the City defence more problems when he latched onto a quickly taken free kick, but once again he failed to beat Basso at his near post at the end of a pulsating first half.
The Clarets started the second half in much the same way as they had ended the first and Akinbiyi's shot into the side netting was the best of three half chances for Burnley in the opening seven minutes.
A Jon Harley shot from the edge of the box, after good work between Lafferty and Blake, was palmed away by Basso but only to Akinbiyi who was just unable to turn the ball home from a near-impossible angle.
However, despite the Clarets looking comfortably in control, it was the visitors who took the lead on 67 minutes through Vasko.
A free kick was whipped in by McIndoe from the Clarets' left and the unmarked Vasko was on hand to touch the ball home past Kiraly.
Just two minues later the Clarets were almost level, but striker Akinbiyi hit the post for the third time with a superb turn and shot from 14 yards out.
Lafferty went close with a weak header on 72 minutes as the Clarets looked in deperation for the equaliser.
Owen Coyle threw youngster Jay Rodriguez on for a first team debut in the last five minutes, but despite plenty of effort from the Clarets and a couple most scrambles it wasn't enough to see them rescue a point.
Burnley: Kiraly, Jordan (Rodriguez 85), Unsworth, Carlisle (Jones 33), Caldwell, Elliott, Harley, O'Connor, Lafferty, Akinbiyi, Blake.
Subs: Jensen, G O'Connor, Kay.
Booked: Unsworth (73, foul)
Bristol City: Basso, Orr, McAllister, McCombe, Noble (Wilson 80), McIndoe, Vasko, Elliott, Sproule, Johnson, Byfield (Trundle 60).
Subs: Showunmi, Ribeiro, Weale.
Booked: Noble (60, foul)
Att: 12,109
