BURNLEY’S chances of surviving for a second season in the Premier League were dealt a huge blow at Goodison Park as they sunk to the bottom of the table.

It’s the first time the Clarets have been propping up the rest of the league since mid-November and with just five games of the campaign to go they couldn’t have picked a worse time to sink to the foot of the table.

MORE TOP STORIES:

After playing all of the Premier League’s top eight sides in a row, things were supposed to get easier for Burnley from here on in.

But they arrived at Goodison Park with Everton in their best form of the season and the confidence Roberto Martinez’s side have gained in recent weeks was clear to see.

Burnley, though, will have every right to feel aggrieved with the way the afternoon panned out on Merseyside.

Mike Jones’ decision to award Everton an early penalty for a foul outside of the box might not have been costly - with Tom Heaton proving there are few better in England for saving penalties as he pushed away Ross Barkley’s effort - but it was a sign of things to come.

In first half stoppage time Ashley Barnes became the first Claret this season to be sent off.

Having been booked for swiping down James McCarthy as Everton threatened to break it was a risk to then slide in on Seamus Coleman with the right back posing no threat on the halfway line.

When Barnes missed the ball and took out the man the writing was on the wall.

But Burnley’s numerical disadvantage should have lasted a matter of minutes.

Kevin Mirallas’ tackle on George Boyd early in the second half was a dangerous tackle that could easily have broken the winger’s leg.

The Belgian jumped in to the challenge with his studs showing and caught Boyd halfway up the shin. It was as obvious a red card as they come, but somehow Jones only saw fit to reach for his yellow.

But even when it was 11-a-side Everton were the better team, and with three of the last five games away from home Burnley will need to find a way of stemming the tide on the road.

They have won just once away from home all season and haven’t kept a clean sheet since September’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, a run of 14 games.

This was also their sixth blank in front of goal in their last seven games. That run will have to end next week - it’s hard to see how the Clarets can survive if they don’t beat Leicester and Hull in the run-in.

Burnley had settled into the game well and had their first chance on four minutes. Trippier crossed from the right and Sam Vokes headed over.

The Clarets could have been behind inside 10 minutes when Jones awarded the spot kick against David Jones.

The midfielder was caught in possession on halfway by Aaron Lennon and as he raced to get back in he impeded the winger as he went to shoot.

Despite the foul occurring a yard outside the area the spot kick was given, but Heaton saw justice was done as he dived low to his right to palm away Barkley’s effort.

That seemed to spur the Toffees on though, and Heaton was called into action shortly after, palming away Leighton Baines’ volley.

The rejuvenated Lennon was becoming a thorn in the Clarets side. This time he picked the ball up centrally and jinked his way to goal before sending a low shot from just outside the area narrowly wide.

Just before the half hour the hosts took a deserved lead. It was another neat passing move between Coleman and McCarthy, with the latter’s low cross reaching Mirallas. He scuffed his first shot but the ball broke nicely to him and he made no mistake at the second time of asking.

The Clarets could have been level within two minutes. Pressure on the edge of the box saw Ings flick a ball through to Jones, but the midfielder sent his shot over the crossbar when he should have scored.

It was Burnley who ended the half on top, although referee Jones correctly waved away a handball appeal against Barkley.

But the half ended in disaster with Barnes’ dismissal. Having been booked for the trip on McCarthy, Barnes was already on thin ice, and his decision to slide in on Coleman on the halfway line right on the stroke of half time was a poor one.

Burnley re-emerged for the second half in a 4-3-2 formation as Sean Dyche looked to keep a goal threat, but it was the Toffees who threatened first, with Arouna Kone’s near post flick hitting the woodwork.

The numbers should have been levelled up within five minutes of the restart with Mirallas’ challenge on Boyd.

The Clarets tried keep the pressure on but there was plenty of space for Everton to exploit and McCarthy side-footed wide.

Heaton was regularly being called into action, beating away Baines’ fierce shot and saving from Gareth Barry at the back post.

But with five minutes to go Burnley were presented with a golden opportunity. Trippier’s cross found Ings unmarked, but he could only direct his header over the bar.