OXFORD United earned their first draw of the campaign with a goalless affair at home to Burnley.

The U’s had won all three of their previous home games in Sky Bet Championship, while losing three on the road, but claimed their first draw against a Clarets side which played Premier League football last season.

Des Buckingham made two changes to the side which lost at Bristol City, as Ben Nelson came in at centre back for his United debut, a move which saw Ciaron Brown shuffle over and replace Greg Leigh at left back.

Josh McEachran, who was substituted with a groin problem just before half-time against the Robins, was fit enough for the bench, with Will Vaulks starting as the deep midfielder for the U’s.

The Clarets dominated possession for the majority of the first half, but without really coming close to making the breakthrough.

It took until shortly before the midway point of the opening 45 minutes for the first sight of goal, as Luca Koleosho got down the right-hand side and squared the ball for Lyle Foster, who fired well off target with a first-time effort.

In the 24th minute, there was a brilliantly observed minute’s applause for Abingdon United midfielder Jack Badger, who died aged 24 earlier this month.

Buckingham meanwhile sported a jumper during the game to raise awareness for Boys Get Sad Too, which supports men’s mental health.

Burnley came knocking again when a sloppy square pass from Nelson close to the halfway line led to a dangerous counter-attack, resulting in Foster forcing a corner out of Jamie Cumming at his near post.

With nine minutes to go until the break, a drilled effort from left winger Jeremy Sarmiento was fired wide.

Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Sarmiento then glanced a header narrowly wide from a right-wing free kick.

Three minutes into the second period, a Vaulks corner was hung towards the back post, where Elliott Moore headed at James Trafford.

At the other end, Koleosho drifted infield from the right and brought a lovely fingertip save out of Cumming, who pushed the strike away for a corner.

Just before the hour mark, Vaulks brought down Hannibal Mejbri 25 yards from goal, but Foster sent the central free kick straight into the wall.

Mejbri then directed a right-footed effort wide from 20 yards, as Burnley continued to increase the pressure.

A glorious opportunity was presented to the Clarets with 64 minutes on the clock. Koleosho did well to surge down to the left-hand byline and send a teasing ball across the box, with it making its way to opposite winger Sarmiento, who was unmarked, but blazed well over.

Buckingham made his first changes nine minutes later, as Kyle Edwards and Owen Dale replaced Ruben Rodrigues and Siriki Dembele respectively.

Edwards went out to the left, with Dale on the right, while Tyler Goodrham moved inside to midfield.

The switch seemed to inject something straight away, as Goodrham got into the right channel of the penalty box and struck an effort which took a deflection and had the sting taken out of it, but still required a Clarets defender to get across and clear the ball as it trickled towards goal.

The best chance of the match came in the closing stages, as Josh Brownhill tapped the ball onto substitute Andreas Hountondji, who prodded wide from a matter of yards.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Cumming; Kioso, Moore, Nelson, Brown; Rodrigues (Edwards 73), Vaulks, El Mizouni; Goodrham, Harris (Scarlett 83), Dembele (Dale 73).

Unused subs: Ingram, Long, Leigh, McEachran, Sibley, Ebiowei.

Booked: Goodrham.

Burnley (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Humphreys, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Lucas Pires; Cullen, Brownhill; Koleosho, Mejbri (Hountondji 79), Sarmiento (Anthony 69); Foster (Rodriguez 79).

Unused subs: Hladky, Egan, Laurent, Dodgson, Massengo, Agyei.

Booked: Lucas Pires, Brownhill.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight)

Attendance: 11,570 (1,565 visitors)