MK Dons had an injury-time equaliser chalked off as Burnley scraped into the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.

Daniel Powell thought he had completed his hat-trick and a miraculous fightback after a goal-mouth scramble at the death, but was denied by the assistant's flag as the Dons came back from 3-0 down.

Powell had already notched twice as the Dons fought against difficult conditions at Padiham, but saw his late leveller wiped out.

Playing uphill and against the wind in the first half, the Dons seemed to be coping with the conditions well and Daniel Delderfield, in for the injured Sam Baldock, was denied after being put away by Powell.

But a slip in concentration seven minutes in allowed the home side to make inroads down the left, Burnley's Jay Rodriguez being allowed to shoot on the turn to make it 1-0.

With the conditions as they were, the inevitable siege came about as Burnley doubled the lead on 16 minutes. A deep cross from the left found its way into the right side of the penalty box where a crucial slip from Sam Collins allowed the Burnley winger to fire across goal for Rob Turner to score with a diving header.

Dons responded well with Stephane Koffi firing just wide after a great crossfield ball by Liam Kelly but just after the half-hour, the Dons were undone despite a controversial refereeing decision. Holding a high line, the Dons defence looked to have a good shout for offside as Rodriguez latched on to a long ball but the flag stayed down and Laurie Walker was given no chance with the finish.

Not to be put off, the Dons continued to fight agains the elements and after Collins had rifled just wide from distance, Powell gave them a priceless lifeline. Fed by Koffi on the left edge of the box, the tall Dons striker hit a rising shot that the 'keeper just got a hand to but was unable to keep out.

With the wind at their backs and in their sails, Powell picked up where he left off before half time and immediately took advantage as Burnley struggled to cope. The home 'keeper looked uncertain as a backpass rolled his way and sharp to his indecision, Powell closed him down sniffing out a chance. The 'keeper's clearance cannoned into the striker and back into the net on 49 minutes.

Burnley's struggle highlighted how well the Dons had done in the first half to even create an opportunity as the home side desperately clung to their lead. Tom Battams' free-kick was brilliantly tipped away and with Collins raiding down the left an equaliser looked on the cards.

Koffi hammered a shot fractionally over bar from 30 yards with 10 to play before controversy popped up again in injury time. A long throw into the box was flicked on by two Dons heads and scrambled in as Powell looked to have got the final touch, sparking wild celebrations in the Dons ranks. But the celebrations were cut short by the assistant's flag.

Manader Mike Dove said: "We definitely coped with the conditions better than they did and we deserved at least a draw. Their third goal looked to be offside but we didn't get the decision.

"I had six under-16s in the squad, three of the them starting, and an under-15 on the bench because of the injuries we had.

"I'm frustrated, we all are, we had the lion's share of the play but didn't get the goal we deserved at the end.

"I spoke to the manager before the game and he said no matter the result, as long as I was happy they had worked hard and given everything that was all I could ask for. It was their last competitive fixture of the year and I was very proud of them.

"With Christmas now coming up, we're half way through the season and although results have not been great we have shown some positive signs recently. We have shown excellent discipline in the last few weeks and the commitment and heart of the players cannot be faulted. If we can continue that work-rate and show that desire we'll start to get the results and, importantly, keep pushing these players towards their professional careers."

Dons: Laurie Walker, Adam Kent, Ollie Thorne, Sam Phillips, Sam Collins (c), Liam Kelly, Tom Williams, Tom Battams, Stephane Koffi (Troy Bailey-Goss 86), Daniel Powell, Daniel Delderfield. Subs not used: Ashley Ferguson, Adam Chickson, Kurt Fox.