Clinical Clarets Clobber Charlton

The Clarets stunning form continued against Charlton Athletic at Turf Moor on Saturday with now six wins from seven games. A convincing, comfortable 3-0 victory against the Addicks kept them in hot pursuit of league leaders QPR who also won on Saturday after beating Middlesbrough 2-0 at home. They now have 23 points with Burnley a close 2nd on 20 points. Burnley also have a superior goal difference to QPR with a three goal advantage and with QPR not playing on Tuesday night, the Clarets could be top of the league if they beat Doncaster that night at the Keepmoat! Charlton, although a struggling side, put up a brave fight but in the end they were basically outclassed by the superior Clarets. The twin strike force of Ings and Vokes continued their impressive partnership with another three goals between with the total tally now sixteen goals. Ings opened the scoring for the Clarets on 38 minutes giving the home side a 1-0 lead at half-time. In the second half, Vokes put the Clarets further ahead on 67 minutes before putting the game beyond the Addicks reach after getting his brace with four minutes of the game remaining. The only downside for the Clarets was that Marney picked up his fifth yellow card and so will now face an automatic one match suspension. He will have to sit out the Doncaster game on Tuesday night now but no doubt David Edgar and Brian Stock will be chomping at the bit for a starting eleven spot to partner David Jones in centre midfield.

Team Sheet

With news that both Dean Marney and David Jones were fit enough to play following their recent injuries, team selection for Sean Dyche was a bit of a no brainer! Both returned to centre midfield with Brian Stock and David Edgar named on the bench. As expected, Kightly and Arfield also returned to the starting eleven after giving way to Treacy and Stanislas in the previous Capital One Cup game at home to Forest in midweek. Michael Duff also returned to make his 300th appearance for the club after being rested on Tuesday night. We therefore lined up as follows :

Heaton, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Kightly, Marney, Jones, Arfield, Ings, Vokes

Subs: Cisak, Lafferty, Edgar, O’Neill, Stock, Stanislas, Treacy

Full Match Report Nottinghamshire referee got the game underway and for a time Burnley looked a little lacklustre with the match developing into a pretty scrappy, dour affair. The first half-hour saw little action although Vokes came the closest in the 13th minute after spinning and shooting from fully thirty yards out only to see the ball fly well wide of target. The game livened up in the last fifteen minutes of the half, with Burnley calling all the shots. Addicks defender, Michael Morrison had to block an Ings shot on the edge of the penalty area after the striker had been released following a deft flick-on from Vokes. The Clarets were now testing the Addicks` goal more and more. Some nice approach work between Arfield and Vokes eventually gave Trippier the chance to put over one of his trademark crosses from the right. Vokes was there to glance the ball just wide but the pressure had to pay off soon and with just eight minutes of the half remaining it did! Trippier picked up a headed pass put in front of him by Vokes and with a first time effort he crossed the ball over into the danger area. There was Ings six yards out to pick up the inch-perfect cross and slot the ball home in confident fashion to make it seven goals in as many games. It was the perfect time to take the lead just before half-time and it certainly gave Addicks gaffer, Chris Powell something to think about with his side 1-0 down at half-time and now being outclassed.

Burnley had no need to make any changes for the start of the second half and didn`t but Powell tried to liven things up by bringing on Callum Harriott for Bradley Pritchard. Pritchard was soon in action too and gave the Clarets a early scare. His shot though flew over Heaton and the top of the bar. Charlton were not really causing many problems for the Clarets who looked totally in control and comfortable to be honest. Nevertheless, Sean Dyche decided to freshen things up by bringing on Junior Stanislas for Michael Kightly on the hour mark. It certainly worked though with Stanislas involved in the second goal for the Clarets in the 68th minute. Stanislas began tearing through the Charlton defence to set Arfield free and he cleverly released the ball into the path of Dean Marney. The midfielder`s inch-perfect pass found Vokes on the left side of the penalty area and cool as a cucumber the former Wolves striker chipped the ball over the advancing Addicks keeper, Hamer into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0 to the Clarets! A foul by Marney following a late tackle on Rhoys Wiggins lead to a yellow card which means the midfielder will now miss the Doncaster game due to an automatic one match suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season. That was the only downer on a perfect day for the Clarets under the autumn sun. Ten minutes from time Ings nearly made it 3-0 after latching onto an Arfied cross from the left. His header though smashed against the face of goal and away to safety. The perfect day though was complete when Vokes volleyed home in spectacular fashion from an outswinging Stanislas corner in the 87th minute to make the final score 3-0 to the Clarets.

Match Stats

Burnley: Heaton, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Kightly (Stanislas – 60), Marney, Jones (Edgar – 90), Arfield (Treacy – 85), Ings, Vokes

Subs Not Used: Cisak, Lafferty, O’Neill, Stock

Goals: Ings 38 Vokes 67,86

Booked: Yellow Card for Marney (72 mins)

Charlton Athletic: Hamer, Morrison, Dervite, Wiggins, Wilson, Stephens, Pritchard (Harriotts – 46), Cousins, Gower (Sordell – 68), Stewart (Kermorgant – 83), Church

Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Evina, Wood, Hughes

Booked: Yellow Card for Wilson (50 mins)

Possession: 49% Burnley, 51% Charlton (Source: BBC Sport)

Ref: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)