Burnley 2, West Bromwich Albion 2

It was 30 years ago when goals from the late Ian Britton and half-time matchday guest Neil Grewcock consolidfated Burnley's status in the Football League.
Matt Lowton and Sam Vokes celebrate the opening goalMatt Lowton and Sam Vokes celebrate the opening goal
Matt Lowton and Sam Vokes celebrate the opening goal

The Clarets, facing the threat of plummeting to the Conference, were a point adrift of Tranmere, Rochdale and Torquay, and two behind Lincoln, facing an Orient side hoping to earn a play-off place.

What would have happened to the club, if the worst had have happened, thankfully remains a hypothetical question.

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However, a 2-2 draw against West Brom at Turf Moor three decades on all but ensured the club retained its Premier League place for the first time ever.

It will be third time lucky for the Clarets, who failed to preserve their top flight status under a hybrid of Owen Coyle and Brian Laws and the first season at this level under Sean Dyche.

While the contributions of Grewcock and Britton, as well as the remainder of the squad on that fateful day in 1987, will forever be fondly remembered, striker Sam Vokes was the modern day squad member to etch his name in to folklore.

The Welshman grabbed a double in a high-scoring second half to seal the point that has effectively put the Clarets out of touching distance from Hull City.

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All eyes were going to be on the late kick off between Swansea City and Everton but the Tigers' shock defeat to Sunderland now means that, with two games left, they're six points adrift and 19 goals worse off.

There wasn't too much to report from a first half where both goalkeepers stood as relative bystanders for the majority.

Foster, though, was alert enough to repel Vokes's cushioned volley with his legs after the striker had edged goal side of Gareth McAuley at the near post to meet George Boyd's deflected cross.

Baggies goalscorer Salomon Rondon saw his header from Chris Brunt's cross diverted wide by Kevin Long, who made only his 19th start for the Clarets, while Boyd skewed wide of the upright with his left boot at the other end.

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Just after the half hour the home side, who were uncharacteristically bossing possession, went close again when Boyd worked the ball infield from the left hand side, both Vokes and Ashley Barnes assisted, before Scott Arfield was thwarted by a sublime last ditch challenge from James McClean.

With the blank canvas left behind from the opening 45 minutes, nobody would've predicted what was to come after the interval.

James Tarkowski fired the first warning shot when powering a header over the bar after peeling away from Marc Wilson to connect with Arfield's corner.

The breakthrough then came in the 55th minute when referee Mike Jones allowed play to continue after Barnes was forced over in the penalty area by Jake Livermore.

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The striker was the quickest to get back to his feet, feeding the ball across the six yard box where Vokes steered the ball home.

But it wasn't done and dusted. Rondon equalised when spinning inside the box and firing in to the corner following good work from McClean and then, in the 78th minute, Craig Dawson was afforded a free header from Chris Brunt's corner to give the Baggies the lead.

Dyche responded by making three changes, with Andre Gray, Robbie Brady and Johann Berg Gudmundsson replacing Barnes, Boyd and Arfield.

And the transformation paid dividends. With four minutes remaining, Foster failed to deal with Brady's free kick in to the box and Vokes was on hand to flick the ball over the goalkeeper's head to make it 2-2.

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