Away success can be springboard - Arfield

Sean Dyche’s side secured a safe passage through to the Emirates FA Cup fourth round when beating Boro at the Riverside before adding the scalps of MK Dons and Brentford in the Championship.

The Clarets were rewarded with a plum tie against holders Arsenal at the Emirates at the end of the month for their triumph in Teeside while a couple of league victories saw the gap close at the top of the division.

They are now just a solitary point behind third place Derby County with the two teams going head-to-head on Monday.

“We hope it can be a springboard - three away performances and 10 goals,” he said. It’s terrific to score away from home.

“I know it was a cup game but to go to the league leaders and win, and then Tuesday night was a tricky game as well.

“People are talking about Boro being the league leaders and running away with the league, and rightly so, that’s people’s opinions.

“We weren’t really at it in the first half but certainly in the second we kept the ball and showed exactly what we’ve got to get the second goal and the winner there.

“It’s a tough place to go, which they all are, but hopefully we can look at that and take that into Derby now.”

Arfield added: “Midweek was completely different to Friday night. There was no fans in there and there’s no atmosphere generated.

“You need to keep the ball and it feels almost like a reserve game at times and it’s quite tough.

“Brentford had their fans behind them. It was a tricky game but one we’re absolutely buzzing to win.

“I think the first half is probably the most fluent we’ve been this season - keeping the ball and getting it down there and playing football. The second half is completely different.

“They were going to come out and take the game to us. It was a different side to us to stand up and be counted.”

The 27-year-old claimed that his winner against Rovers at Ewood Park in October was the best goal that he’d scored in his career, but his opener at Griffin Park will certainly push it close.

The Scot nonchalantly shaped the ball in to the top corner from the edge of the box after Stephen Ward and Andre Gray had combined in the build up.

“I think in terms of the move that’s possibly the best,” he said.

“We moved it through the middle with ease at times. It’s a nice finish but it’s more so to do with the team building. It’s a terrific goal.

“It was just after 10 minutes, and then Joey’s free kick is a terrific strike as well.

“In terms of emotion obviously the Blackburn game betters it, but I think technically with the finish and the move I think that’s probably the best team goal. I’m buzzing to be part of that at the end.

“It’s a hard technique to do but thankfully two of them have gone in the top corner.”

Meanwhile, Arfield has stressed the importance of goals coming from all areas of the pitch to help lift the weight of responsibility off the shoulders of the strikers.

Joey Barton and George Boyd have netted in successive games while Ward and Matt Lowton have also contributed.

“I think that’s very important,” Arfield said. “It’s so important that it’s not just the strikers who score goals.

“That’s five for me, Tayls has got four, Boydy’s got three and Joey’s got two.

“I think we’re chipping in with goals from all over and it’s important to take the pressure off the front two.”