*A late Danny Ings penalty rescued a point for Burnley, and denied Aston Villa a first win in nine matches.*

Joe Cole scored on his first Premier League start for the away side with a poked shot past keeper Tom Heaton.

But Graham Scott, refereeing his first Premier League game, awarded Burnley a late penalty when Villa defender Jores Okore hauled down Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Ings kept his composure to place the spot-kick into the roof of the net and extend Burnley’s unbeaten run to three.

The two lowest-scoring teams in the division produced a frenetic encounter, but Villa have still not won since mid-September in the Premier League.

It was the away side who started brightest at Turf Moor, backed by a bumper away following from the Midlands.

Central defenders Okore and Ciaran Clark had chances from in-swinging Villa corners in the first 10 minutes but Okore’s touch and Clark’s header were stopped by goalline clearances from Burnley’s Dean Marney.

Cole eventually grabbed the opener shortly before half-time when he latched on to Andreas Weimann’s low ball in from the right-hand side and shot low underneath Heaton.

The Clarets defenders looked to the linesman but Manchester United loanee Michael Keane, deputising for the injured Michael Duff, looked to play the former West Ham and England midfielder onside.

The second half started at the same high intensity, with Burnley’s early pressure presenting a gilt-edged chance to Michael Kightly.

The 28-year-old latched on to neat play in the penalty area and saw his low shot hit goalkeeper Brad Guzan’s legs before being cleared off the line by Clark.

Substitute Jutkiewicz then nearly scored with his first touch, when his glancing shot from an out-swinging free-kick flashed wide of the far post.

Sean Dyche’s side were eventually rewarded for their second-half pressure when referee Scott pointed to the spot.

Former Middlesbrough frontman Jutkiewicz went to ground from Okore’s challenge, but there was some debate over whether the initial contact was inside the penalty area.

Ings stepped up and calmly slotted in for his fourth goal of the season.

Burnley pressed for a late winner, with Ings clipping a shot on to the post in stoppage time.

The draw takes second-from-bottom Burnley level on 11 points with Hull (in 17th) and QPR (18th), while Villa have two points more in 16th place.

*BBC Match of the Day’s Danny Murphy:* ”Joe Cole looked fit and strong and I’m so pleased for him because he’s such a good lad, I’ve known him for years.

“It’s the first sign of him looking as strong as he did a couple of years back. He’s been waiting for his chance for a while now.

“He’s looking sharp and Villa started the game really well, hopefully that will give him the platform to go on. You can build on a point. I think Burnley will be disappointed because by the finish of the game they’d had some chances.”