- Wood scores pair as Burnley opens up 2-0 lead
- Chaotic sequence ends with Clarets penalty
- Brighton has 67 percent possession, 16-9 advantage in shots
Chris Wood scored two goals and Burnley pushed its unbeaten Premier League run to seven games with an entertaining 3-1 defeat of Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Ashley Barnes had a goal and an assist, winning and converting a controversial penalty kick for the Clarets’ third goal.
Burnley’s win moves the Clarets out of the drop zone with 27 points, the same figure as Brighton.
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Brighton’s first chance came through a Solly March header tipped over the bar by Tom Heaton, who made a fine save off the ensuing corner when Pascal Gross lashed on frame.
Brighton’s Shane Duffy blocked a 17th minute Dwight McNeil effort off the cross bar, and Ashley Barnes couldn’t deposit the rebound with a headed shot.
Heaton made an outstanding reaction save on March when picked out by Jurgen Locadia in the 24th.
Wood put Burnley ahead 90 seconds later, as the New Zealand striker took advantage of a slipping Shane Duffy to run onto a hopeful Ashley Barnes cross and hit the ball past Mat Ryan.
Heaton made a edge-of-glove save on Gross in the 43rd, and Jeff Hendrick cleared the German’s header off the line as the first half hit stoppage time.
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83% - Of players with at least five Premier League goals this season, Chris Wood has scored the highest proportion away from home (5/6). Tourist. #BHABUR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 9, 2019
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Wood added a second as the clock hit 61, darting down the left to pick up McNeil’s pass and finish across Ryan’s goal.
Then, chaos.
Brighton should’ve been awarded a penalty for a handball at one end, and the counter attack saw Barnes hit the deck after trying to dribble Ryan in the box. Was he clipped? Possibly.
Barnes converted clinically, and it was 3-0.
Duffy then nodded a long free kick past Heaton with 15 minutes to play.