Burnley 1-0 Plymouth Argyle: Clarets extend unbeaten run with unnecessarily anxious win

The Clarets looked all set to record a comfortable victory when Josh Brownhill gave Scott Parker’s side a deserved first-half lead from the penalty spot.

The hosts dominated the opening 45 minutes and had more than enough chances to put the game out of sight before the second-half.

But with only a goal in it, Argyle slowly grew in confidence as the game wore on and squandered a couple of opportunities to snatch an unlikely point.

As it is, the Clarets held on for the three points courtesy of Brownhill’s fourth goal of the season to move up into the automatic promotion spots.

While Parker will be pleased to get another win on the board, and there were certainly elements of Burnley’s game that were positive, his side are still lacking real quality in the final third, where their final pass is often found wanting.

Jaidon Anthony was restored to Burnley’s starting line-up after being dropped on Saturday for the goalless draw against Oxford United in favour of Jeremy Sarmiento.

Elsewhere, Joe Worrall, Connor Roberts and Zian Flemming remained absent, alongside longer-term absentees Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Hannes Delcroix, Aaron Ramsey, Manuel Benson, Nathan Redmond and Mike Tresor.

As for Plymouth, they made two changes from the side that beat Luton Town 3-1 in their last outing. Loanee Michael Obafemi was one of those to miss out as he was ineligible to face his parent club.

Plymouth almost caused Burnley a problem inside the opening 12 seconds with a long punt forward into the box, but CJ Egan-Riley was able to scramble clear.

Nevertheless, it was a clear sign of intent from the visitors, who showed more adventure than Oxford did during the 90 minutes on Saturday.

Burnley hit back with a half chance of their own as Hannibal saw a shot blocked after a cross was partially cleared to the midfielder.

With Argyle showing a willingness to get on the ball and not sit in, that created space for Burnley to play in - a luxury they’ve not had in recent games.

They almost capitalised on one particular occasion when James Trafford’s pinpoint pass out from the back helped to beat the press, allowing Josh Brownhill to slip in Lyle Foster only for a Plymouth defender to get back in time to clear.

As the game settled down, Luca Koleosho predictably became Burnley’s most threatening outlet and the winger perhaps ought to have given the home side the lead in the 13th minute.

It followed some good build-up play which allowed Lucas Pires the space to loft a ball into the box which just eluded Foster. But it fell to Koleosho in space at the back post but he was only able to side foot over the Plymouth bar.

Burnley soon took over the flow of the game, as Jaidon Anthony tested Argyle keeper Dan Grimshaw with a low effort which was parried away from goal.

While the visitors weren’t offering as much of a threat as they did early on, they still came close midway through the half through Rami Al Hajj whose side footed effort from 25 yards missed the upright by a couple of yards.

The Clarets were given a priceless opportunity to bag a deserved opener when they were awarded a penalty by referee Bobby Madley after Josh Cullen was wiped out by Darko Gyabi just inside the box.

Skipper Josh Brownhill stepped up and sent Grimshaw the wrong way to net his fourth goal of the season already.

Burnley were getting plenty of joy in the wide areas through Anthony and Koleosho, but their end product was still found wanting on a couple of occasions.

Foster was unfortunate not to double Burnley’s lead just before the break when he raced through on goal and lifted the ball over the onrushing Grimshaw, only to see it bounce wide.

The hosts were right back onto the front foot at the start of the second period, hunting a second goal that would have put the game to bed for good.

Anthony tried his luck from range for a second time with a powerful driven effort, but once again Grimshaw was equal to it.

As the half wore on, Burnley were starting to become a little complacent, despite only holding a one-goal lead - always a dangerous tactic whoever the opponent.

Plymouth sensed the momentum could well be changing, as they began to pick up more loose balls resulting in some spells of pressure in the Burnley half.

They also came close to a shock equaliser 20 minutes from time when Morgan Whittaker, linked with a move to Turf Moor during the summer window, narrowly curled over the Burnley bar from just inside the box.

As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes, it all became a little anxious for the Clarets. Needlessly so too given their first-half domination.

Burnley could have put that nervousness to bed when substitute Jeremy Sarmiento drilled one towards goal after cutting in from the right, only to see his effort whistle just past the far post.

Nerves continued to jangle late on as Argyle came close with another half chance, with substitute Mustapha Bundu firing narrowly wide of the far post on the overlap.

To Burnley’s credit, they navigated the final moments well, keeping hold of the ball in the corner and well away from their goal as they held on for a nervy, but ultimately deserved win to make it five unbeaten.

TEAMS

Burnley: Trafford, Humphreys, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires, Cullen (Massengo), Brownhill, Hannibal (Laurent), Koleosho (Sarmiento), Anthony, Foster (Rodriguez)

Subs not used: Hladky, Egan, Dodgson, Agyei, Hountondji

Plymouth: Grimshaw, Ogbeta (Mumba), Szucs, Gibson, Gyabi (Hatch), Randell, Al Hajj (Wright), Palsson (Sorinola), Cissoko (Bundu), Whittaker, Hardie

Subs not used: Marosi, Houghton, Pleguezuelo, Galloway

Referee: Robert Madley