Defour is the toast of the Clarets but for Johnson’s men it’s more misery
BETTER teams than Bristol City have come to Turf Moor and been beaten by a Burnley side who enjoy home comforts more than a fat dog in front of a roaring fireplace.
Sean Dyche’s men have already picked up 25 Premier League points at their compact HQ with the likes of Liverpool and Everton sent packing.
And on a horribly wet and cold afternoon, the Championship strugglers became the latest victims. A goal on the stroke of halftime from Sam Vokes — his 50th for Burnley — and an audacious second from Steven Defour were enough to secure a passage into the fifth round for the Clarets and provide more pain for Robins boss Lee Johnson, whose players followed up a club-record eighth league defeat in a row with this.
Belgium international Defour set up Vokes and then brought the house down when he capped a flowing move with an outrageous chip over 6ft 4in City keeper Fabian Giefer.
‘I think the fans have been fortunate to see some great goals here but that was up there,’ said Dyche, who made eight changes. ‘A sublime finish – if it was in the Premier League they would show it a thousand times. It deserves to be shown a thousand times.’
Defour, a £7.5million summer signing from Anderlecht, picked up the man of the match award and Dyche was full of praise for the midfielder.
‘I mentioned when he first came it’s a long process to get to the tempo, feel and demands of the Premier League,’ he said. ‘We know he’s got quality and today was an example of that.’
Both clubs have bigger priorities. Burnley’s aim is to ensure Premier League survival while the Robins, after a bright start, are in a battle to stay in the second tier.
Admission was slashed to £10 for adults and £5 for children while even the matchday programme was cut in half. Nonetheless, a credible crowd of almost 15,000 turned out and the majority were rewarded
with yet another home win. Dyche, who hopes to add some new faces before the transfer window closes, missed out on Hull’s Robert Snodgrass this week, the Scot choosing to join West Ham, and the Burnley manager was philosophical.
‘Everyone has to agree,’ he said. ‘I spoke to him only briefly and I think a decision was made quite quickly. West Ham are a big club, a strong financial power, and that’s the way it goes.’ The Robins made five changes and worked hard, but to no avail. ‘I heard the fans singing my name, which gave me pride,’ said Johnson. ‘It’s been a horrible time but if we come through this it will make us stronger.
‘If we take the positives into the next two league games, we will be fine. I think we saw our philosophy and identity today.’
After an opening half-hour as dull as the weather, the visitors almost went ahead when Zak Vyner’s cross picked out Andy Carroll lookalike Milan Djuric, complete with man bun, whose header was well saved by Nick Pope. Then Vokes sidefooted into the bottom corner first time.
After the break Defour flashed a shot wide before keeper Pope punched Josh Brownhill’s swerving freekick clear to kick-start a sweeping Burnley counter which ended when Defour brought out the wedge.
Chelsea starlet Tammy Abraham, off the bench, managed to flash a shot wide for the visitors and Aiden Flint headed wide, but the home side were comfortable.
Can Burnley go all the way? If they get a home draw, chances are they’ll progress to the sixth round at least.