WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT?

Brighton ........ 1 Burnley ........ 3 Chris is back to punish Seagulls once more as Clarets land a vital blow

CHRIS WOOD kept up his hot scoring streak against former club Brighton to help earn a precious win for Burnley.

Wood, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Seagulls, made it seven goals in nine starts against Chris Hughton’s men – and eight in all since he left the South Coast.

First he pounced on a blunder by Lewis Dunk and then coolly slotted home after being teed-up by Dwight McNeil.

Ashley Barnes, another former Brighton man, added a 74th-minute penalty to further boost the Clarets’ survival hopes.

They headed into the game in the bottom three following Cardiff ’s victory earlier in the day.

Victory moved them three points clear of the drop-zone and while Sean Dyche knows they are not out of danger yet he was understandably pleased with their display.

He said: “We’ve had four out of six away games and have come away with eight points which is a good tally in the Premier League.”

But there was controversy late on when Brighton were denied a spot-kick after Jeff Hendrick appeared to handle the ball – and Burnley went to the other end to win a penalty of their own. Dyche said: “We’ve just had three away games where big decisions have gone against us.

“If we got a decision going for us, I know it evens itself out over the season so I don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Tom Heaton, the man brought in from the cold by Dyche late last year, also helped the visitors come out on top in a vital relegation six-pointer.

A string of excellent saves from the England goalkeeper in the first half kept Brighton at bay.

Just a few months ago Heaton was considering his future after seeing Nick Pope take his place for club and country while he was out injured – and then Joe Hart arriving.

But having ousted Hart, Heaton has played a huge part in the Clarets’ unbeaten league run of seven games that has transformed their fortunes.

Brighton are in freefall after just one win in 11 league games in the scramble to avoid the drop. Boos rang out at full time.

It was Hughton’s 200th game in charge of Brighton – and it all turned sour. Heaton quickly proved his worth with two fine stops.

First he tipped over a header from Solly March, teed up by Gaetan Bong, and then there was an excellent parry from Pascal Gross’s volley.

Bong was booed at West Brom in the FA Cup replay during the week over his part in an alleged racism incident involving Jay Rodriguez last year, with the case found ‘not proven’. And there was more of the same last night for Cameroon defender Bong from fans of Burnley, one of Rodriguez’s former clubs.

There was an even better stop from Heaton after 25 minutes as he kept out March’s fierce shot.

Burnley took the lead barely a minute later and it was their former Brighton players that combined to do the damage.

Barnes cleverly hooked the ball through beyond Dunk and – when the defender slipped – Wood raced clear to score.

Dyche’s side grew in confidence and Phil Bardsley and Barnes tested Mat Ryan.

After the break Wood scored his second goal just past the hour, teed up by McNeil.

But there was controversy after 73 minutes with Brighton claiming a penalty for handball against Hendrick.

Referee Stuart Attwell said no – and as Burnley broke Barnes beat the offside trap before being brought down by Ryan. The Clarets hadn’t had a penalty for 67 league matches until last week – but Barnes despatched his second in two games.

Shane Duffy headed one back for Brighton but it was much too little and too late.

Hughton said: “The penalty is a clear penalty and if we get that it gets us back in the game and it changes the momentum. But I’m disappointed with the goals we conceded.”