Dan Black’s verdict as FA Cup stalemate versus Ipswich Town is far more beneficial for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany than meets the eye

The Burnley boss has somehow captured lightning in a bottle after a transformative six month spell in management at Turf Moor.

The Clarets have everything going for them in the Championship having averaged more than two points and just under two goals per game.

But even he knows, in spite of his decoration as a player, that you sometimes need a second bite of the cherry to achieve success.

The Manchester City legend had to really work for his first ever piece of silverware on these shores after switching to the Etihad from Hamburg.

Roberto Mancini's side were forced to overcome a couple of replays when securing the club's first FA Cup triumph in 42 years in 2010/11.

Kompany featured in the third round replay against Leicester City, which resulted in a 4-2 victory, before Edin Dzeko's finish kept them alive in the competition against Notts County almost 12 years ago to the day.

They had trailed to Neal Bishop's finish on the hour at Meadow Lane, but the Bosnian striker struck with just 10 minutes remaining to prevent the upset, before City won the replay 5-0.

That's why the ex-Belgium international, who contributed to clean sheets in ties against Reading and Manchester United, prior to doing the same against Stoke City in the final at Wembley, was more than content with Burnley's goal-less draw against Ipswich Town.

"There was Notts County away, a last minute header from [Edin] Dzeko to take it into a replay," he recalled. "That's how tight the margins are.

"This game was a credit to English football; a third division team playing a second division team, there won't be other countries where you see 30,000 fans turn up for a fourth round tie in the FA Cup. There's no other country where this happens.

"They were well set up, some good patterns on the ball, good intensity to go and press and then, with the support of the home crowd and with it being a cup tie, we expected a tough game. That's why I'm actually happy, and I'm never usually happy if we don't win. I'm looking forward to taking this game back to Turf Moor.

"It's a good result. I've never known anyone do well in the cup without these types of games and without these types of moments. It's a good result for us."

In theory it wasn't the worst outcome for the second tier table-toppers at all, even if the fixture against the Tractor Boys won't go down as a classic for the 1,581 travelling supporters.

The performance didn't reflect the majority of the games which had preceded it since Christmas, as the visitors lacked the 'edge', that Kompany so often speaks about, across two-thirds of the pitch.

However, the first 0-0 of the two-time FA Cup winner's tenure brought a 12th clean sheet of the campaign, a ninth outing without defeat in all competitions, it provided the opportunity to hand debuts to the likes of Scott Twine, Ameen Al-Dakhil and Lyle Foster while allowing Vitinho, Samuel Bastien and Darko Churlinov to get some crucial minutes under their belt.

What's more, the replay in 10 days time affords Kompany another 90-minute window to do the same again as the squad's newcomers, alongside those individuals on the periphery, look to get up to speed.

"I am probably one of the few managers who is not disappointed that we have a replay," shared Kompany, in the aftermath. "It was always going to be a tough game. In the end we get to take the game back to Turf Moor. We have a squad of players who are dying to prove themselves so it is not a bad thing for us.

"For our squad it's a good thing, I can't describe it any other way. There are a lot of guys in our team who are waiting for game time, but we won't do anything silly where we compromise one for the other.

"There are a lot of guys who are wanting to prove themselves, working hard in training, and there's no better way to do it than show yourselves in front of everyone.

"It was also great for me to show this type of environment to the players we've signed because they'll understand that the game in this country is different to anywhere else. I've known it because I've been in this country for a long time, but it's a unique thing you've got going here. It's pretty special."

Kieran McKenna's men had the upper hand in the first half, pressing aggressively, showing bravery on the ball, and creating situations where they had men over in transition.

George Hirst poked former Accrington Stanley winger Kayden Jackson's delivery wide, Marcus Harness clipped the top of the crossbar when the away side failed to clear their lines while Jackson's cross was turned over the top by a back-peddling Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Burnley got more of a hold on things after the break, with a triple substitution seemingly instilling a greater level of cohesion and control. Twine, Bastien and Churlinov made way for Josh Brownhill, Josh Cullen and Anass Zaroury, as the favourites pushed for a winner.

Nathan Tella's first-time effort was flicked over the crossbar by the fingertips of Vaclav Hladky, who would later keep out Jay Rodriguez's volley from distance after being caught out of position. And then Zaroury's effort, taken first time, whistled past the far post, via a slight deflection.

Kompany continued: "I didn't have a feeling it was a clear game for anyone, it was a good battle and well fought. To our standards, we usually come out with the ball a bit more on duels and in second balls.

"We are usually a bit more compact and aggressive but that is normal when you integrate a few new players here and there. In the end I thought we picked it up.

"On the ball, the pitch was always going to bring its own challenges but we grew into the game. In the end it was never a clear game so the result in my opinion looks fair.

"The ball just didn't go in, last passes, decisions, but I really believe that when you get a team to play together a bit more a lot of things happen without thinking and when they're not having to think as much they'll get better. It was a cup game, a tough game, I'm happy with the result, I'm not complaining."

Burnley, one of the most in-form outfits across Europe having won 14 of their last 16 league games, will now likely be heavy favourites to come out on top when the two sides meet again.

The Clarets are unbeaten in their 16 appearances at home under Kompany in all competitions, prevailing in their last 10 in succession. Adding to that sequence, in the build up to derby day against Preston North End, would see them into the fifth round for only the third time in 12 seasons.

A reluctance to give cup competitions the merit they deserved was perhaps one of Sean Dyche's limitations during an otherwise highly successive reign at the club.

But you get the impression that Kompany genuinely sets out to win every game he contests. He proved it against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and again versus Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, and the players can feel that mentality rubbing off on them.

As Charlie Taylor said: "In seasons gone by, when we've been in the Premier League, we've always been in and around the relegation zone, so the league has always been the top priority.

"This season, with us doing so well in the league, and with us having a bigger squad, we can use more players in the cup if that's what the manager chooses to do. There's no reason why we shouldn't target a cup run.

"He's won so many trophies and won so much throughout his career, I think he's just got that [winning] mentality within him. I think that's what he's trying to drill into us now as players. It's what has put us on such a good run this season."