Fabio Celestini's tenure as Burnley head coach began with a disappointing 0-0 Championship draw against Portsmouth at Turf Moor as the Clarets failed to capitalise on their first-half advantage.
The Swiss manager, who celebrated his 51st birthday on Saturday, saw his side create a host of chances before the break, but a lack of clinical finishing ultimately cost them.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead after 12 minutes, when Marlon Pack lofted the ball into an empty net. Burnley goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert lay prone following a collision with Pompey's Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, which referee Ruebyn Ricardo deemed a foul.
After a slow opening, Burnley began to exert greater control midway through the first period. Kyle Walker tested Nicolas Schmid with the first shot on target after 25 minutes, while Andreas Hountondji and Largie Ramazani also drew saves from the Pompey goalkeeper.
Amid Burnley's long wait for a home league win, which stretches beyond a year, there was evident tension inside Turf Moor.
Marcus Edwards' inability to fashion a shot after a jinking run into the box drew groans. That turned to stunned silence when Burnley's No 10 missed from just a few yards, snatching at the ball as it flashed across the box and inexplicably turning it over the crossbar.
The Clarets' sense of frustration was amplified when Walker was denied a penalty following a trip in the box by Iyad Mohamed, before Ramazani saw a well-taken goal chalked off due to Edwards straying offside in the build-up.
The hosts' control waned considerably after the break, as the introduction of Ebou Adams and Tyrese Shade for Portsmouth helped rejuvenate the south-coast side. Abu Kamara nearly broke the deadlock on 59 minutes when he cut inside and then arced a shot over.
On Halloween, Burnley's inability to find an opening goal was a scary reminder of their predicament, with the club still mired in the relegation places.
The biggest cheer of the afternoon came when Josh Cullen was introduced off the bench in the 72nd minute, making his first appearance of an injury-plagued season. But it couldn't elicit a response from a confidence-shy Burnley.
Ramazani twice failed to connect effectively with crosses to the back post in a game that petered out. The frustration boiled over late on, as Edwards' erratic performance ended with his withdrawal being jeered by the home supporters.
Burnley's Fabio Celestini:
"The first half was good, with the energy, the structure and the offensive actions.
"With 48 hours' preparation, I can be happy with the first half. The second half was a little bit different. But when you have many changes it is not easy to stay stable for 95 minutes.
"If one team must win, it must be Burnley. Today was a good first step.
"I'm very happy with the work in these first two days. The spirit of the guys was incredible. It was not enough for three points, but I am happy with a point and the performance. I don't see a fragile team. I see a stable team and that is a good step."
Portsmouth's John Mousinho:
"We've come to Turf Moor and the context of the week, Burnley not having won here for over a year, a new manager coming and the jubilation around that, the atmosphere at the start… it was almost set up for a resounding home victory.
"So I'm really pleased we've dealt with that and come away with a point in a performance where we weren't really at it in the first half."
