PREMIER LEAGUE
TURF MOOR claimed a fifth victim of the season as goals from Jeff Hendrick, Stephen Ward and George Boyd sent battling Bournemouth home empty-handed from Burnley.
The Clarets deserved their win, with Hendrick’s sumptuous dipping volley the pick of the goals, and have now taken 16 of their 17 points at home.
Benik Afobe had made it 2-1 in first-half injurytime and Bournemouth threatened to mimic last week’s comeback against Liverpool when Charlie Daniels scored in the 90th minute, but this time they fell short.
The match marked a return for Eddie Howe to the side he managed briefly before Sean Dyche, and also the first Premier League contest between the sides.
The first 10 minutes were bright and open, Nathan Ake’s back pass putting Artur Boruc under pressure at one end while Afobe’s snap shot drew Heaton into action at the other.
The game, seemingly, was anybody’s but by the 17th minute Burnley had raced into a 2-0 lead.
Hendrick’s glorious finish made it 1-0 after Tom Heaton pumped the ball upfield and Matt Lowton picked out the Irishman with a first-time pass.
The club’s record £10.5-million signing took two deft touches, spotted Boruc off his line and lifted a volley crisply into the top corner.
Bournemouth were rattled and the deficit was soon doubled, from a Steven Defour corner.
The Belgian found Ben Mee with an outswinger and though Boruc pushed a powerful effort back off his line, Ward was there to prod home.
Bournemouth lost discipline, with a few messy challenges and little attacking structure.
Eventually Afobe won a free-kick at the edge of
the area but Heaton did well to save Adam Smith’s dipping effort. Howe’s side did get on the scoresheet before the break though, Fraser’s bustling run and Simon Francis’ cutback finding Afobe unmarked to tuck the ball home.
A similar chance presented itself early in the second half, Fraser again pulling Burnley apart, but this time Afobe dragged wide.
Both sides went to their bench with the game still up for grabs, Ashley Barnes and Andre Gray on for the hosts and Bournemouth sending for Jack Wilshere.
The game ended in a flurry of activity – Marc Pugh with a penalty claim and Boruc saving well from Gray.
The pace seemed to have relented but Daniels took everyone by surprise from a corner and lashed home in injury time.