The Town slipped to a heavy defeat on the road against promotion-chasing Burnley after playing three-quarters of the game with 10 men.

It was always going to be a tough assignment for the Hatters against a side unbeaten in 22 Championship games and who had not lost at home all season.

But the challenge became an all-mighty one once Kal Naismith was red-carded for a second-bookable offence on 22 minutes.

And Burnley took full advantage. Mark McGuinness – only on as a substitute following Naismith’s dismissal – put the home side in front with an own goal and a second arrived before half-time when Lyle Foster turned home from six yards out.

The Town’s uphill task at Turf Moor – a venue they had not lost at in eight previous visits – became even greater after the break when Josh Brownhill added a third just after half-time when it appeared the ball had run out of play in the build-up.

And although the Hatters pushed for second-half consolation, the home side added a fourth goal when Ashley Barnes slid home from close range with the final kick of the game.

After an even start to a game that all changed in the 22nd minute when Naismith was shown a second yellow card – his second booking in seven minutes.

And the Clarets wasted no time in making the most of their man advantage.

Connor Roberts shot over on 23 minutes and McGuinness was straight into the action to divert a dangerous cross from the right away from Foster in the box moments later.

But a nightmare spell for the Town was compounded on the half-hour when McGuinness – who had only been on the pitch five minutes after replacing Liam Walsh – steered Roberts’ cross beyond Thomas Kaminski to give the hosts the lead.

You felt the Hatters needed to get to half-time trailing by just one in order to reassess their options but, six minutes before the break, Burnley doubled their lead when Marcus Edwards’ right-wing cross was side-footed home by Foster from six yards with the Hatters believing the referee had impeded Zack Nelson in his attempt to clear the initial danger.

The Town were frustrated once more eight minutes after the restart when the home side made it 3-0. Edwards was again the creator, darting down the right. However, the Hatters seemed certain that the winger had carried the ball out of play before crossing for Brownhill to fire home from close range.

Brownhill fired wide with a first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area moments later before Matt Bloomfield made a triple change, introducing Millenic Alli, Lamine Fanne and Jacob Brown.

It was Brown who had the Hatters’ first chance of the afternoon on 65 minutes, nipping into the box after two home defenders collided with one another to force James Trafford into a smart save.

Burnley had taken their foot off the gas since the third but still chased a fourth goal – substitute Manuel Benson curling a shot from distance on 77 minutes.

Back came the Town and Brown – who looked lively in attack – volleyed an instinctive volley wide moments later.

Burnley should have made it 4-0 with five to play when Josh Laurent somehow skied an effort over the bar from 10 yards with time on his side.

As time ticked down Chris Makosso thought he should have had a penalty after receiving a kick to the face in the final moments as the Town chased a consolation but it was the hosts who had the final word when Barnes crashed home a fourth goal with the last kick of the game to rubber-stamp another defeat on the road for the Hatters.

With Cardiff and Stoke losing the Town remain five points from safety – heading to South Wales for a huge game on Tuesday night.

Thanks for your support. We’ll see you then.

Town: Kaminski, Doughty (sub Lamine Fanne 59), Jones (sub Bowler 79), Bell, Naismith, Makosso, Clark (sub Alli 59), Walsh (sub McGuinness 25) Nelson, Aasgaard, Adebayo (sub Brown 59).

Subs: Krul, Andersen, Morris, Nordås.

Attendance: 19,453, including 599 Town fans making themselves heard in the away end.