It wasn’t the night’s loudest chant but you couldn’t mistake the belief and optimism. ‘We’re all going on a European tour,’ sang the Burnley fans in the corner of the Vitality Stadium.
Well, who knows? Maybe they will be gracing the continent next season.
It won’t have the glamour of the 1960-61 campaign, when the Clarets, as league champions, reached the quarter-finals of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup.
Robbie Brady roars after doubling Burnley’s lead in Wednesday night’s Premier League clash on the south coast
Brady’s rocket was unstoppable for Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic all but secured the victory for Burnley
Burnley were looking to maintain their reputation as the season’s surprise package and keep pace with the league leaders
His strike followed up Chris Wood’s opener from close range after Brady saw his cross deflected into his path
Wood tapped in on 36 minutes as Nathan Ake and keeper Begovic are left stranded by the deflection
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
Bournemouth (4-4-1-1):
Begovic 6; Francis 6, S. Cook 5, Ake 5, Daniels 5; Ibe 6.5 (Fraser 69, 6), Arter 6 (L. Cook 58, 6), King 6.5, Surman 6, Pugh 6 (Defoe 63, 6); Wilson 6
Subs not used: Boruc; A. Smith, Gosling, Afobe
Manager: Eddie Howe 6
Burnley (4-4-1-1):
Pope 6; Bardsley 6.5, Tarkowski 6, Mee 6, Ward 6; Gudmundsson 6.5, Cork 7.5, Hendrick 7.5 (Barnes 85), Defour 6.5 (Westwood 75), Brady 8.5; Wood 8 (Vekes 89)
Subs not used: Lindegaard; Long, Taylor, Arfield
Manager: Sean Dyche 7.5
Referee: R East 6
Man of the Match: Robbie Brady
- Premier League
- Premier League
- Championship
- League One
- League Two
- Scottish Premiership
- Scottish Div 1
- Scottish Div 2
- Scottish Div 3
- Ligue 1
- Serie A
- La Liga
- Bundesliga
Robbie Brady is found by Johann Gudmundsson as he cuts in and fires Burnley’s second past Asmir Begovic to all-but secure the points for Sean Dyche’s men. For more key match facts, visit Sportsmail’s exclusive Match Zone, here.
But Burnley’s support aren’t likely to care. As things stand, they may qualify for the Europa League and who on Earth would have predicted that?
This was another exceptional performance from Sean Dyche’s team, now in the top six of the Premier League table and above Tottenham Hotspur, the team who recently topped Real Madrid.
Most impressive about their win over Bournemouth here was the control they had on proceedings, their unrelinquishing grip confirmed by goals from Chris Wood and Robbie Brady.
Brady’s strike was the highlight of the evening on what wasn’t an especially joyous 40th birthday for Cherries manager Eddie Howe despite Josh King’s late reply.
We were midway through the second-half when Burnley swept down the right-hand side, Jack Cork moving the ball on to Johann Gudmundsson, who centred to the excellent Brady.
With a pivot of the body, he stepped inside Andrew Surman and curled a beautiful shot into the top corner from 20 yards. In a flash, Dyche’s side clinically put the contest to bed and deservedly so.
Sam Vokes limbers up for as waits to be introduced to the game for Burnley’s opening goalscorer Wood
Lewis Cook is hit hard by Burnley midfielder Steven Defour as Burnley dominate at the Vitality Stadium
Steve Cook makes a crucial block to deny Jeff Hendrick early on as Burnley continue to pressure their hosts
Sean Dyche protests a challenge made by Cherrys defender Nathan Ake as referee Roger East grants his wishes
Ake makes an unusual attempt at a tackle on goalscorer Wood as he regains possession for the home side
Dyche (left) shakes hands with his opposite number Eddie Howe at the Vitality Stadium after the game’s conclusion
Josh King gave the home supporters some hope of a comeback after he netted a consolation goal with 10 minutes to go
It was another stand-out moment in a season that has been full of them for Burnley and who knows what they can do from here. Maybe Europe does beckon?
Burnley have suddenly acquired a assertiveness away from home in matches such as this that was conspicuously absent last season when they gained a meagre seven points on the road.
They looked the more likely to score throughout the first-half with their tall and broad-shouldered Kiwi forward Wood hassling the Cherries back line.
Wood waited 78 minutes to get off the bench in Sunday’s late loss to Arsenal and perhaps set out here with something to prove to his manager.
Inside three minutes, his looping header clipped the top of the crossbar after Ben Mee had nodded Brady’s corner back across the box into his airspace.
Not long after, Wood manoeuvred himself in between Nathan Ake and Steve Cook to meet Phil Bardsley’s cross, this time heading with force down into the turf so it bounced up sharply for Asmir Begovic to touch over.
And when Brady’s quick-thinking released Wood into a pocket of space down the left, Bournemouth’s back line were behind the pace.
King (left) high-fives team-mate Jermain Defoe after giving Bournemouth hope with his late strike
Howe sends on Ryan Fraser in a attempt to salvage something from a disappointing night for his Bournemouth side
New Zealand striker Wood celebrates his fourth goal of the season after giving Burnley the lead on the south coast
Dyche issues his players tactics from the Burnley technical area as his side look to preserve their advantage
While Bournemouth boss Howe is left scratching his head as his side slip to their first defeat in four Premier League games
But Wood hesitated instead of shooting, choosing to try and square to Jeff Hendrick, who had company. His eventual shot was blocked by Cook on the slide.
But when another chance fell the way of £15million man Wood, he couldn’t miss. The move started when Cook’s underhit clearance was seized upon by Brady, who fed Jack Cork and then got the ball back.
Driving inside, Brady’s cross deflected off the hapless Cook right to the feet of Wood, whose fifth goal for the Clarets was a tap-in and he celebrated with a knee slide in front of the hardy travelling contingent down from Lancashire.
Burnley were unquestionably superior but Bournemouth had their moments.
Jordon Ibe suffered a brain freeze on the chilliest night of winter so far. A cute flick carried him into space inside the box but he decided to cross when a shot would have been preferable.
Howe probably would have swapped most of his birthday gifts and cards for an improved second-half showing and Ibe tried to cheer him up with a couple of bursts down the right. Unfortunately, his crosses found the gloves of Nick Pope rather than anyone in red and black.
Just when it appeared the fight had drained from Bournemouth bodies, they scored through Josh King, touching home from close range after Jermain Defoe’s mishit shot was touched into his path by Pope.
But Burnley doggedly saw out the late pressure, showing the resilience to accompany the silkiness.
Substitute Sam Vokes is booked for time wasting by referee Robert East as Burnley look to hold out for the three points
Goalscorer wood is replaced by Vokes after his first-half striker moves Burnley within touching distance of the top four