SEAN FEELS THE FOURTH
Hot Ash makes Clarets history
BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche was made to wait as his side looked to create a piece of club history and climb into the top four of the top flight for the first time since March 1975.
But it all came good in the 89th minute when Ashley Barnes grabbed the winner.
Jack Cork played a long ball forward and Barnes played a neat one-two with Scott Arfield before lashing home from 16 yards.
Mark Hughes’ relegation-threatened side had proved a stubborn obstacle as the Clarets looked for the win to lift them above fat cats Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool – for 24 hours at least.
Stoke’s form has been so poor of late that their own fans accosted them as they left the train returning home from the weekend drubbing at Spurs.
Hughes claimed that flashpoint should serve as a reminder to his players about their responsibility to those fans.
And on a freezing night of driving rain, sleet and snow at Turf Moor, they seemed to have taken his words on board.
Fumbled
Peter Crouch, enjoying a golden season in the autumn of his career, was a thorn in Burnley’s side.
His early flick set up a long shot which Xherdan Shaqiri drove straight at Nick Pope in the home goal.
Then the beanpole striker popped up at the far post after James Tarkowski missed Ramadan Sobhi’s cross and Crouch’s effort was well blocked by Pope.
Shaqiri’s corner then set up the best chance of the first half as he picked out Kurt Zouma 15 yards out only for the defender to volley straight at the keeper.
Jack Butland, in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate, fumbled a cross which Erik Pieters hacked clear.
But apart from a close, curling effort from Johann Berg Gudmundsson, there was little else to trouble the Stoke keeper.
Burnley had to reshuffle late in the first half when left-back Stephen Ward limped off to be replaced by Charlie Taylor.
But the sub’s early second half cross put the Stoke defence under pressure until Zouma rose to head away.
And Steven Defour warmed Butland’s hands with a long shot following a poor clearance from Stoke sub Kevin Wimmer.