JAMES Tarkowski made his first appearance for Burnley yesterday as a strong Clarets XI lost 1-0 to Oldham.

Burnley hosted two Latics first teams, each playing 45 minutes, in a behind-closed-doors training game at Gawthorpe’s Barnfield Training Centre.

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Liam Kelly’s 12th minute penalty was the only goal of a game in which Paul Robinson, Tendayi Darikwa, Michael Duff, Tarkowski, Fredrik Ulvestad, Michael Kightl, Chris Long and Rouwen Hennings all started.

German striker Hennings thought he had opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, when his fierce 25-yard hit cannoned off the crossbar and appeared to bounce over the line.

However, the officials played on and Oldham took the lead soon after when Duff brought down Rhys Murphy in the area and Kelly converted from the spot, despite Robinson diving the right way.

Hennings came close to an equaliser, glancing Darikwa’s cross on target only for goalkeeper David Cornell to make an excellent diving save.

Recent signing George Green was denied by the woodwork early in the second half, after taking aim from distance.

The Oldham side featured Clarets loanees Daniel Lafferty and Cameron Dummigan, who each played 45 minutes, and ex-Burnley left back Joe Mills, whose second half free kick shaved a post, before Burnley substi-tute Brad Jackson had an effort cleared off the line.