BURNLEY fought back twice to pick up a point in a pulsating game at Aston Villa.

After seeing a goal ruled out for VAR, the hosts went in front through Anwar El Ghazi just after the half hour.

Dean Smith’s side dominated the end of the first period but the Clarets improved after the break with Jay Rodriguez levelling things up on 67 minutes.

A frantic finale then saw Villa retake the lead in the 79th minute through McGinn before Sean Dyche’s men scored a second equaliser through Chris Wood almost immediately.

Both sides had their chances in the early stages.

The excellent McGinn sent a good chance over the bar with a header three minutes in before Wood failed to make proper contact with one at the other end.

Villa looked a real threat whenever they came forward however with Bee Mee needed to block an El Ghazi shot before Conor Hourihane struck a post with a free-kick.

The Clarets then went straight up the other end and hit the woodwork with a free-kick of their own, Dwight McNeil’s effort skimming the top of the bar.

It was the hosts who thought they’d taken the lead 25 minutes in though, McGinn converting Hourihane’s cross only for VAR to rule that the provider had been offside.

There was no doubt about El Ghazi’s strike eight minutes later though, the Dutchman producing a fine near-post finish from Frederic Guilbert’s centre.

The Clarets were then right up against it for the remainder of the opening half.

El Ghazi headed over as McGinn and Jack Grealish dominated proceedings, the latter bringing a save from Nick Pope with a shot from just outside the area.

With Rodriguez on for Jack Cork at the break the Clarets’ change in system almost brought an immediate reward with Jeff Hendrick seeing a goal-bound shot deflected over the bar.

The visitors kept coming with Ben Mee heading McNeil’s corner into the side netting.

The game was a scrappy one at times though, referee Lee Mason’s hit and miss decision making not helping matters with a few Villa knocks also making it a stop-start affair at times.

Burnley kept plugging away though and got their reward on 67 minutes.

As Ashley Barnes and Erik Pieters battled for the ball on the left-hand side, it was the Dutchman who dug out a cross with former West Brom man Rodriguez beating Neil Taylor to head home at the back post.

Villa reacted to the goal though and went back on the front foot.

Grealish had a good opening but fired over the bar when he should have at least tested Pope before the hosts got their noses back in front 11 minutes from time.

Trezeguet’s chipped cross to the back post found McGinn and he side-footed home on the volley through the legs of Nick Pope.

But the lead lasted just two minutes with Matt Lowton sending over the cross against his former club and Wood rising highest to head home a third goal in two games.

Despite a second leveller it was the hosts who fancied a winner but apart from one stray Grealish shot, the Clarets held on for a hard-fought point after seven minutes of stoppage time.