Goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo saw Bournemouth win 2-0 away to relegation-battling Burnley at Turf Moor.
Kluivert fired the Cherries into a 13th minute lead after he pounced upon Lewis Cook’s overhead cross.
Cook also provided another assist as he teed up Semenyo in the 88th minute to break forward and wrap up victory with a deflected strike.
Bournemouth remain 13th in the table but now 11 points clear of the relegation zone, whilst Vincent Kompany’s Clarets remain second bottom on goal difference.
With just two points from their last eight league matches and sat 11 points adrift of safety with 12 games left coming into this game, Burnley certainly couldn’t afford to lose this as they made a strong start but Wilson Odobert’s fifth-minute shot was saved by Neto.
Bournemouth meanwhile suffered a painful midweek FA Cup exit to Championship’s Leicester but had Dominic Solank back from a minor knee injury here, although he struggled to make an immediate impact upon the game as the Cherries soaked up Burnley’s pressure.
That early absorption paid off in the 13th minute as Cook dinked an overhead cross forward for Kluivert, who escaped his marker to smash in the opening goal beyond James Trafford’s reach.
Burnley in response continued to dominate but failed to take their chances and were almost punished again 11 minutes later, after Kluivert picked up Solanke’s through ball but laid off for Marcus Tavernier, who could only rifle over the bar.
With just five points amassed from 13 home games this season, Burnley’s woes were summed up by Odobert’s 34th minute strike which flew over the top-right corner, having earned the shot through neat build-up play from David Datro Fofana and Josh Cullen.
Futher frustrations for home supporters came in the 41st minute as Fofana was played through but Neto blocked his shot, before Adam Smith blocked Jacob Bruun Larsen’s follow-up shot to protect Bournemouth’s lead into half-time.
Vitinho was however was the latest Burnley player to see a chance wasted as he nodded Charlie Taylor’s cross over the bar in the first minute of first-half injury-time.
Bournemouth boss, Andoni Iraola decided to make a change at half-time as Alex Scott replaced Ryan Christie, with view to interjecting more energy into his midfield.
That gamble almost paid off just ten minutes into the restart after weathering more Burrnley pressure, as Solanke met Kluivert’s pass but his shot was blocked by Trafford.
Kluivert was quickly involved in another chance barely a minute later as his cross was laid off by Semenyo for Tavernier, but the winger lashed wide from close-range.
Burnley continued to press despite Bournemouth’s improved intensity and equallised in the 66th minute as Bruun Larsen beat Smith to knock down a header, which Cullen turned in but the goal was disallowed by referee – David Coote for a foul from Bruun Larsen on Smith during his assist.
Semenyo and Solanke combined in the 75th minute but the ex Bristol City player fired wide, only to again miss the target a minute later in two wasteful chances for Bournemouth.
Bournemouth eventually secured victory in the 88th minute after Cook unleashed Semenyo up the right to cut in, from which the 24 year-old smashed into the top-left corner via Taylor’s deflection.
Iraola’s Cherries now sit 11 points above the drop and on course for a third season back in the Premier League, whilst Burnley now sit closer towards relegation with a 11-point gap to safety.
What’s Next?
Burnley head to West Ham on Sunday 10 March at 2pm GMT in another critical game if want to start a great escape from relegation.
Bournemouth face another team battling to avoid relegation next weekend albeit at home, as Andoni Iraola’s Cherries entertain Sheffield United at Vitality Stadium on Saturday 10 March in a 3pm GMT kick-off.
Teams
Burnley: James Trafford, Vitinho (Benson 76′), Dara O’Shea (Rodriguez 90′), Maxime Esteve, Charlie Taylor, Lorenz Assignon, Sander Berge, Josh Cullen (Gudmundsson 90′), Wilson Odobert, David Datro Fofana, Jacob Bruun Larsen (Amdouni 69′)
Substitutes: Jack Cork, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Jay Rodriguez, Manuel Benson, Hjalmar Ekdal, Zeki Amdouni, Mike Tresor, Hannes Delcroix, Arijanet Muric
Bournemouth: Neto, Adam Smith, Illya Zabarnyi, Marcos Senesi (Mepham 12′), Milos Kerkez (Ouattara 89′), Ryan Christie (Scott 45′), Lewis Cook, Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert (Billing 73′), Marcus Tavernier, Dominic Solanke (Unal 89′)
Substitutes: Chris Mepham, Romain Faivre, Dango Ouattara, Alex Scott, Luis Sinisterra, Enes Unal, Philip Billing, Mark Travers, Maxwell Kinsey-Wellings
Referee – David Coote
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