Substitute Emile Heskey rescued a point for Aston Villa as his 86th-minute header earned a 1-1 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Burnley captain Steven Caldwell had put his side ahead with a ninth-minute header from Robbie Blake's free-kick.

That looked like being enough until Heskey popped up with four minutes to go to convert James Milner's cross.

The Clarets were tenacious and striker Steven Fletcher proved a handful for experienced centre-back Richard Dunne all afternoon. Backed by a strong wind Burnley took an early lead.

Blake's inch-perfect inswinging free-kick from the right may have skimmed off Dunne but Caldwell was up challenging and he headed powerfully into the net despite Brad Friedel getting a fingertip to it.

Dunne was then booked for a late challenge on Fletcher as the striker threatened to burst through. Clarets goalkeeper Brian Jensen was almost embarrassed after racing to the edge of his penalty area only to miss the ball under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Villa striker fed Ashley Young who curled his shot over as Clarke Carlisle desperately tried to get back.

Seconds before half-time Ashley Young's corner picked out Milner whose pass across the six-yard area was sliced behind by Graham Alexander.

Dunne was lucky after the interval to escape a second yellow card for pulling Fletcher's shirt on the edge of the penalty area, with Carlos Cuellar instead cautioned for fouling the Scotland striker.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill threw on substitute Heskey late on and the England international equalised when he held off Caldwell.