Burnley are returning to the Premier League as champions after one season away
Promoted Burnley finally clinched the Championship title with a win over rivals Blackburn Rovers in the east Lancashire derby at Ewood Park.
Manuel Benson’s superb second-half strike broke the deadlock for the Clarets in a feisty match that had a high tempo but saw both sides limited in clear-cut chances in front of goal.
Blackburn created more opportunities, with five shots on target to one from Burnley, as Dom Hyam saw a strike from distance saved and Sammie Szmodics almost flicked the ball inside the near post in stoppage time.
The hosts also had strong penalty shouts waved away in the final few seconds when Callum Brittain’s cross appeared to hit Ashley Barnes’ arm.
Defeat dents Rovers’ chances of reaching the play-offs and leaves them in eighth place, without a win in their past seven league games and outside the top six on goal difference.
Their remaining two fixtures see them host third-placed Luton Town before a potentially pivotal meeting with seventh-placed Millwall on 8 May.
Since securing promotion back to the Premier League on 7 April, Burnley’s charge towards the Championship title stuttered.
They came into the game off the back of two draws and a shock 2-1 defeat by QPR in their last outing, which ended their undefeated record at Turf Moor.
It had looked like nerves might be getting the better of Vincent Kompany’s side, who produced no shots on target during a cagey first 45 minutes where both teams struggled in the final third.
Blackburn ended the first half in the ascendancy despite lacking a clinical edge, with Tyrhys Dolan sending a tame shot at Ari Muric and Hyam also seeing a volley from a corner comfortably saved.
Szmodics had a chance to snatch the lead for Rovers shortly after the break, flicking the ball on from close range, but Muric was again able to deal with it.
Kompany started to ring the changes just before the hour mark and it proved worthwhile, with Benson finding the net out of nothing eight minutes after coming on as a substitute to score his 10th league goal of the season.
The Belgian bounded down the right as Burnley broke into Rovers’ half, shifting the ball on to his left foot and launching a shot from distance past Aynsley Pears into the far corner.
Szmodics came close to an equaliser deep in stoppage time, sending the ball across the face of goal and almost beyond Muric, but a quick bit of Burnley defending turned the ball behind for a corner.
In the fifth and final minute of stoppage time Barnes then seemed to stretch out his arm to block Brittain’s cross but referee Tim Robinson turned down Blackburn’s appeals.
Tempers flared after the full-time whistle between some players and both benches, but things calmed down quickly so Burnley could celebrate in front of their 2,000 fans.
Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
“We are at two different places. Burnley have been in the Premier League and have the parachute money. But we were the best team today.
“They scored a brilliant goal, credit to them. I’m disappointed to concede that after a great performance. But our players kept going to the end.
“We must admit that the way we played was excellent at a high level against the best team in the league. Before they scored we were dominant in the second half.”
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany told BBC Radio Lancashire:
“I don’t know if the lads realise it, I think J-Rod (Jay Rodriguez) does because he’s one of the people I was speaking to. I think J-Rod understands what it means for the people of Burnley to come and win the league at Ewood Park, for us you couldn’t write it.
“Even the scenario of the game, after everybody is speaking about how good we are on the ball, today to see how good we were defensively, winning challenges, second-balls, crosses, everything else, that’s a side of the team I’m proud about as well.
“A day that will live forever for us and a tremendous achievement for the lads.
“There’s two awards you win this season which is promotion and the league, then there’s two more trophies to win which are your derbies, and we’ve won all four this season. I know what it means and I don’t know if the players realise it yet but I know what those games have meant for me in my career.”
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 4-2-3-1
13Pears
11Rankin-Costello17Carter5Hyam3Pickering
27Travis36Wharton
19Hedges8Szmodics22Brereton
10Dolan
- 13Pears
- 11Rankin-CostelloBooked at 47mins
- 17Carter
- 5Hyam
- 3PickeringBooked at 62minsSubstituted forBrittainat 74’minutes
- 27TravisSubstituted forLeonardat 84’minutes
- 36Wharton
- 19HedgesSubstituted forThomasat 74’minutes
- 8SzmodicsBooked at 70mins
- 22Brereton
- 10DolanSubstituted forDackat 75’minutes
Substitutes
- 1Kaminski
- 2Brittain
- 14Thomas
- 23Dack
- 30Garrett
- 33Phillips
- 38Leonard
Burnley
Formation 4-2-3-1
49Muric
14Roberts28Al Dakhil3Taylor29Maatsen
8Brownhill24Cullen
22da Silva7Gudmundsson19Zaroury
10Barnes
- 49MuricBooked at 82mins
- 14Roberts
- 28Al Dakhil
- 3Taylor
- 29MaatsenBooked at 57minsSubstituted forHarwood-Bellisat 90+5’minutes
- 8BrownhillBooked at 35mins
- 24CullenBooked at 53mins
- 22da SilvaSubstituted forManuelat 58’minutes
- 7GudmundssonSubstituted forCorkat 58’minutesBooked at 65mins
- 19ZarourySubstituted forRodrÃguezat 90+5’minutes
- 10Barnes
Substitutes
- 4Cork
- 5Harwood-Bellis
- 9RodrÃguez
- 12Foster
- 15Peacock-Farrell
- 17Manuel
- 45Obafemi
Referee:Tim Robinson
Attendance:18,166
Live Text
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Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Burnley 1.
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Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Burnley 1.
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Benson Manuel (Burnley) hits the bar with a left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left. Assisted by Ashley Barnes following a fast break.
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Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Charlie Taylor.
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Substitution, Burnley. Taylor Harwood-Bellis replaces Ian Maatsen.
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Substitution, Burnley. Jay RodrÃguez replaces Anass Zaroury.
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Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Charlie Taylor.
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Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Hayden Carter.
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Attempt blocked. Benson Manuel (Burnley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josh Cullen.
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Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Hayden Carter.
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Attempt blocked. Anass Zaroury (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Barnes with a headed pass.
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Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Adam Wharton tries a through ball, but Sorba Thomas is caught offside.
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Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Harry Leonard replaces Lewis Travis.
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Arijanet Muric (Burnley) is shown the yellow card.
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Josh Cullen (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joe Rankin-Costello (Blackburn Rovers).
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Foul by Ashley Barnes (Burnley).
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Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Hand ball by Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers).
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Attempt missed. Benson Manuel (Burnley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Josh Brownhill.
