Burnley returned to the top of the Championship after defeating Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Jaidon Anthony and captain Josh Brownhill scored goals each side of halftime to secure three points for Scott Parker’s team, who is now unbeaten in their previous seven league games.
If Sunderland fails to beat Hull City on Sunday, the Clarets will remain in first place at the end of the weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday tumble to 18th place, three points above the relegation zone. Just three minutes in, summer signing Zian Flemming came close for the visitors, but his effort was saved by Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle.
The hosts came into the game and nearly broke through the Burnley backline, but outstanding last-ditch defending from Chelsea loanee Bashir Humphreys denied Wednesday’s Djeidi Gassama a clear scoring opportunity.
On the half-hour mark, Wednesday captain Barry Bannan struck a precise free kick into the Burnley box, but Ike Ugbo’s header went over the crossbar when he might have done better.
Olof Kobacki’s excellent footwork opened space for a shot, but his low effort was stopped by Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford – and three minutes later, the hosts were punished for their wasted chances.
A long pass from Clarets defender CJ Egan-Riley was not cleared by full-back Yan Valery, allowing Anthony to pounce and slip the ball past Beadle for his first goal for Burnley since joining on a season-long loan from Bournemouth last summer.
Burnley extended their lead five minutes into the second half when Brownhill converted a left-foot volley in front of the traveling fans after Flemming’s original attempt was saved.
Anthony then came close to adding a third, but his free-kick was brilliantly saved by Beadle, and substitute Jeremy Sarmiento’s header struck the post on the rebound.
Svante Ingelsson nearly halved the lead for the hosts late on, but his header went straight at Trafford as Burnley
We hung on for a comfortable three points. Danny Rohl, Sheffield Wednesday’s manager, expressed his post-match response on BBC Radio Sheffield.
“I think we should focus on the positives. It was a commendable performance against a formidable opponent.
“We knew before the game that they were very clinical in front of goal, and as you can see, they don’t need many chances.
“I think that for me was the big, big difference” .
Burnley’s head coach, Scott Parker, told BBC Radio Lancashire:
“It feels nice because, as always, coming into a Saturday and a Wednesday, you want to try to gain three points: we were able to do so today, and I believe we were well worth them overall.
“The first half basically ebbs and flows a little. We had opportunities, they applied some pressure with set-plays, and we were able to move ahead.
“We didn’t start the second half too well but then after that I thought we dominated and probably, 2-0, we [were] well worthy” .
Leave a Reply