Burnley 0-0 Bournemouth: Clarets make unwanted history despite improved display

Scott Parker’s side showed an impressive reaction to the 2-0 defeat to Everton in their last outing, which prompted further criticism from angry Burnley fans amidst the club’s relegation woes.

But they got the supporters right back on side back at Turf Moor as they delivered a performance full of guts and desire.

Despite that, they were still unable to find that long-overdue three points on home turf, something that has eluded them for 148 days - a run that extends right back to October.

It sets an unwanted record for the Clarets, who have gone 11 league games without a win - within a single season - for the first time in their history.

The stalemate, only Burnley’s fourth clean sheet of the season, also means Parker’s side have won just one of their last 21 league games, leaving them eight points adrift of safety with now only eight games remaining - and with their relegation rivals yet to play.

Parker had no option but to ring the changes after Burnley’s last outing, the 2-0 defeat to Everton, and that’s exactly what he did.

He made four in total, with the headline news coming at left-back where Quilindschy Hartman replaced Lucas Pires to make his first league start in three months.

Elsewhere, Joe Worrall also dropped to the bench to be replaced by Josh Laurent, as the Clarets reverted to a 4-3-3 system as they went in search of a first league win at Turf Moor since October.

James Ward-Prowse also came into the starting XI in place of Florentino Luis, while Zian Flemming returned from a calf injury to replace Lesley Ugochukwu.

Marcus Edwards and Armando Broja also returned from injury to be named among the substitutes.

Jordan Beyer, Axel Tuanzebe, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Mike Tresor and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.

As for Bournemouth, they made two changes from their 0-0 draw with Brentford, as Adam Smith and Kroupi came into the starting XI.

The Cherries came into the game off the back of a nine-game unbeaten run in the league and 10 in all competitions.

But it was a former Bournemouth player in Jaidon Anthony who had the game’s first attempt, dragging a shot disappointingly wide of the near post after cutting in from the left to create some space for himself.

But the visitors responded with two huge chances in the space of barely 60 seconds. Evanilson squandered the first, seeing his goalbound effort blocked on the goalline by Bashir Humphreys after the striker had rounded Martin Dubravka.

Then from the resulting corner, Junior Kroupi was left completely unmarked, but his volleyed effort took a nick off a defender and flew just wide.

Burnley continued to live so dangerously defensively, giving up another chance when a poor pass was intercepted by Kroupi near the box, but again Humphreys came to their rescue.

After a frantic start, the game died down a little, with Zian Flemming getting an ambitious effort off at goal for the hosts, trying his luck with a drilled effort from a tight angle which Djordje Petrovic pushed away from goal.

At the other end, Dubravka was forced into a good save, doing well to cling onto Marcus Tavernier’s fierce low strike following some good build-up play from the visitors.

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Anthony, meanwhile, repeated his trick from the first minute as he cut inside from the left again to unleash a powerful effort towards the far corner, but Petrovic did well to turn it behind.

The Clarets squandered another big opening to take the lead when Flemming forced his way in behind, but instead of shooting he opted to pull the ball back to Lyle Foster, but his pass was behind his Burnley teammate.

Foster still ought to have done better, but the poor pass allowed Bournemouth to get players back and crowd him out.

The resulting corner, meanwhile, saw Humphreys be denied at the back post as space opened up for the defender.

Despite the crowd turning against Parker and the team in the last three home games, the fans were right behind their team during the first-half, even more so when referee Peter Bankes decided against awarding Anthony a free-kick by the touchline.

Burnley deserved a goal for their efforts and they nearly got it just before half-time, only to be denied by the woodwork.

Anthony was again the man involved, picked out at the back stick from James Ward-Prowse’s corner but the winger’s first-time half volley thundered off the crossbar.

After what was an encouraging first-half display, there was no need to change anything.

Indeed, the Clarets continued from where they left off, with Anthony going close again, only to be denied by a superb block from Cherries skipper Adam Smith.

The visitors hit back with a good chance of their own, as Tavernier kissed the outside of the post with a rasping low drive following some incisive play down the right flank.

Anthony then turned creator for Flemming, curling in a dangerous cross that the Dutchman could only head over at full stretch.

Midway through the second half, Parker turned to his bench for an injection of quality, bringing on the returning Edwards for Foster.

The Burnley boss was then forced into making another change shortly afterwards, with Maxime Esteve forced off with an issue to be replaced by Joe Worrall, while Quilindschy Hartman also made way for Lucas Pires.

With just 12 minutes remaining, Bournemouth felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Evanilson went to ground as he tried to nip the ball past Ward-Prowse and Humphreys, but the referee emphatically waved away the appeals.

Despite the game being on tenterhooks, not a great deal happened in the way of clear-cut chances during the final stages, although Cherries sub Enes Unal did steer wide from a promising position just eight yards out.

Even with eight minutes being added on, the Clarets were unable to muster one final hurrah as they were left to settle for a goalless draw.

TEAMS

Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Humphreys, Esteve (Worrall), Hartman (Pires), Laurent (Ugochukwu), Ward-Prowse, Hannibal, Foster (Edwards), Anthony, Flemming (Broja)

Subs not used: Weiss, Florentino, Tchaouna, Barnes

Bournemouth: Petrovic, Smith (Jimenez), Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Christie (Adli), Scott, Tavernier, Rayan (Unal), Kroupi (Brooks), Evanilson

Subs not used: Mandas, Toth, Milosavljevic, Gannon-Doak, Diakite

Referee: Peter Bankes

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