Dyche in dreamland as Burnley go fourth
Late Barnes strike sinks suffering Stoke
BURNLEY fans will be cutting out the Premier League table this morning and keeping it for posterity after an 89thminute winner from substitute Ashley Barnes lifted Sean Dyche’s side to fourth place.
In an atrocious rain storm at Turf Moor, Burnley hardly had a kick until Jack Cork fed Barnes in the final minute of normal time.
He had the strength to flick the ball on to Scott Arfield and the ability to spin into the penalty area, take the return pass and fire past Jack Butland from eight yards.
While under- pressure Mark Hughes and the Stoke bench buried their heads in despair, the Burnley fairytale continues at breakneck pace. For 24 hours at least, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs are all below them in the table.
This was an untidy performance from Dyche’s team but they still found a way to win. Understudy goalkeeper Nick Pope now has eight clean sheets in 14 league games and Burnley’s squad is strong enough to withstand the absence of Tom Heaton, Matt Lowton, Robbie Brady, Jonathan Walters and Ben Mee, with Stephen Ward limping off last night after 41 minutes.
Reflecting on the club’s highest league position since 1975, Dyche said: ‘It was a really hard night, a grind. We weren’t at the races and had to defend really well. The conditions were as bad as I’d seen in a long time, the wind was really swirling, so it was one of our most pleasing results of the season.
‘The fans can enjoy talking about where we are. We have earned the right to be there but we know the next game comes quickly. I am proud of everything we are doing.’
His mood was in sharp contrast to Hughes, whose team have the worst defensive record in the division.
Stoke worked an early chance for Peter Crouch, whose header was pushed onto the post, and other efforts from Biram Mame Diouf, the excellent Xherdan Shaqiri and Kurt Zouma.
But it is significant that their leading scorers, Crouch and Diouf, have only four goals apiece. And that £15million striker Saido Berahino hasn’t scored since joining in January.
Hughes will surely feel nervous if Stoke lose to West Ham at home on Saturday, particularly with the club’s former manager Tony Pulis on the market.
For now, though, the Welshman (below) is talking a bullish game. ‘It was an encouraging display. I’ve told the players if we perform like that, we will be fine,’ he said.
‘Anyone at the ground will obviously know we didn’t deserve to lose. The players gave me what I asked. Now we need to stick our chests out and get points on the board. I am looking forward to the weekend already.
‘ Yes, there has been a little bit of dissent (from fans) but the only way to keep the noise down is to win matches.’
Dyche’s resources are being stretched but you can’t question Burnley’s mentality when the going gets tough.
Of the 13 games they’ve either won or lost this season, 11 have been by a single goal.
They even overcame the loss of left back Ward last night, with youngster Charlie Taylor thrown in and equipping himself well.
Stoke nerves started to jangle once Diouf was caught trying to create a goal by handling — Thierry Henry-style — and Zouma limped off with a pulled hamstring.
Burnley gradually sensed a historic result might be theirs for the claiming. Steven Defour tested Butland with the home side’s first shot on target with 20 minutes left. Dyche then threw on forwards Sam Vokes and Barnes to give his side a new impetus and the gamble worked. Crouch had half a sniff of goal with three minutes left but couldn’t twist his 6ft 7in frame around the ball from Diouf ’ s knockdown. So Burnley went down the other end and took advantage of Stoke’s restructured defence. Barnes showed composure to fire only his second goal of the season and win the game. ‘I love those 1-0s,’ grinned Dyche. ‘Trust me, all managers love it, even geniuses like Brian Clough.’ Clough was manager of Nottingham Forest when Dyche started his playing career there. Even Old Big ’ Ead would be impressed by Burnley going for the Champions League.