Ade Akinbiyi scored the only goal at Turf Moor as Stoke condemned struggling Burnley to a fourth successive defeat.

The former Leicester striker converted a rare chance for the visitors to extend their unbeaten run to five games - a notable achievement considering they played much of the second half with only 10 men.

Given that Burnley's last four matches have yielded a total of 20 goals, it came as something of a shock that neither side managed to break the deadlock during the opening 45 minutes.

Home striker Ian Moore was denied by the frame of the goal in the second minute, but there was little in the way of clear-cut chances to excite either set of fans.

But Stoke, emboldened by an improved showing in the latter stages of the first half, took the lead seven minutes after the restart - John Eustace releasing Akinbiyi for his fifth goal of the season.

Burnley's plight was summed up by their failure to fashion an equaliser, despite playing almost the final half-hour with an extra man after Marcus Hall's dismissal.

The game was barely 60 seconds old when Stoke goalkeeper Ed de Goey was beaten by Moore's header, only for the woodwork to come to his rescue.

Burnley were fortunate not to fall behind in the 11th minute when Akinbiyi shot wide from six yards, although Paul Weller headed Mo Camara's cross over the bar at the opposite end.

Camara's radar let him down when he tried his luck with a long-distance strike shortly afterwards. Then Richard Chaplow dwelt slightly too long following good link-up play between Luke Chadwick and Camara.

Chadwick shot wide as Burnley continued to enjoy the better of proceedings, and Stoke's task was made even tougher when centre-back Gerry Taggart was forced off through injury in the 24th minute.

They adjusted well, though, and ended the half marginally in the ascendancy - albeit with only Eustace's wayward strike to show for their efforts.

Eustace played a key role in Akinbiyi's goal. His through ball found the striker, who broke clear of Graham Branch before stabbing past Brian Jensen.

The Clarets goalkeeper, having been virtually redundant in the first half, was called upon to deny Gifton Noel-Williams when one-on-one just after the hour.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis, forced to replace the injured de Goey with Neil Cutler in the 51st minute, saw Hall dismissed for a foul on Dean West which was his second bookable offence.

Burnley struggled to make their numerical advantage count - and, shots from Tony Grant and Chaplow aside, rarely looked like equalising.

Stoke went close to doubling their advantage in the dying moments through Eustace, who missed the target from inside the six-yard box.

Teams

Burnley Jensen, West, May, Branch, Camara (O'Neill 83), Chadwick (McEveley 70), Weller, Chaplow, Grant, Blake, Ian Moore.

Subs Not Used: Roche, McGregor, Pilkington.

Booked: West, McEveley.

Stoke de Goey (Cutler 51), Thomas, Taggart (Commons 24), Halls, Clarke, Johnson, Russell, Eustace, Marcus Hall, Noel-Williams, Akinbiyi, Commons (Henry 69).

Subs Not Used: Asaba, Greenacre.

Sent Off: Marcus Hall (63).

Booked: Marcus Hall.

Goals: Akinbiyi 52.

Att: 12,812

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).