Premier League
BurnleyBurnley2West BromWest Bromwich Albion2

Burnley 2-2 West Bromwich Albion

By Alex BysouthBBC Sport
Sam Vokes
Sam Vokes' double took him to eight Premier League goals for the season

Sam Vokes scored a late equaliser to edge Burnley closer to Premier League survival and deny West Brom their first win since 18 March.

Vokes headed in four minutes from time, having earlier taken advantage of great work from Ashley Barnes to put the hosts ahead at Turf Moor.

Salomon Rondon had levelled with a smart turn and finish, before Craig Dawson thought he had won it for the visitors with a diving header.

But Vokes' header looped over Ben Foster to earn Burnley a point and keep the Clarets on course to successfully negotiating a top-flight season for the first time since 1974-75.

Burnley almost safe

Sam Vokes
Vokes had the only shot on target in the first half

This is already Burnley's best Premier League season, with 40 points and 11 wins.

Boss Sean Dyche will be taking nothing for granted, but his side have now reached the 'magic' 40-point mark with two games to play, putting them eight points above the relegation zone in 14th.

The Clarets had the better of a drab first half, with Vokes managing the only shot on target for either side when he forced Baggies goalkeeper Foster into a low save from George Boyd's deflected cross.

The game came to life after the break, however, when Barnes did superbly to find his feet after being hauled down in the area before teeing up striker partner Vokes to poke home.

The Clarets then showed plenty of character to salvage a point after going behind as Vokes' flick-on beat Foster, whose rash decision to come for a hopeful ball forward left him helpless in the box.

Baggies finally score

Craig Dawson
Craig Dawson was also on target the last time West Brom scored in a Premier League game, against Arsenal on 18 March

West Brom fans must have been wondering if their side would ever score again in the Premier League as their run without a goal ticked beyond the eight-and-a-half-hour mark.

But the Baggies suddenly sprung into life at Turf Moor, with Rondon's well-taken equaliser being the first time they have found the net since a 3-1 win over Arsenal in March.

Dawson had headed against the bar moments earlier, before James McClean's cross found Rondon and the Venezuela striker used his strength to hold off two Burnley defenders, turn and fire past Tom Heaton.

Dawson, on his 27th birthday, then dived in to nod the visitors in front and show that West Brom's biggest threat is from set pieces - six of their last eight league goals have come from defenders.

Despite their winless run reaching six games, a point keeps the Baggies a creditable eighth in the table.

Man of the match - Sam Vokes (Burnley)

Sam Vokes
Vokes scored from two of this three efforts on target, and was unlucky not to open the scoring in the first half with his other. His physical presence caused problems for a normally robust West Brom defence

'We are a long way down the road'

Dyche delighted as Burnley reach 40 points

Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "I'd prefer not to say we are safe until it is 100%, but we are a long way down the road.

"The team and myself deserve a lot of credit.

"We have had a few knocks this season but we believe in what we are about. There are teams with more talent but we are a strong unit."

Pulis pleased with draw despite Burnley pressure

West Brom boss Tony Pulis: "You have to defend well here, Burnley put you under real pressure.

"Salomon Rondon has been our only striker available in the past few weeks, he's been playing by himself and he works hard. Today he got his reward.

"People who have been giving us stick don't understand. We will make a massive profit at the end of the season, this club is run very professionally. We have to survive and we do that very well."

Stats - You wait 530 minutes for a goal...

  • Burnley have won just one of their past five home Premier League games (D2 L2) after winning each of the five before that.
  • West Brom ended a goal drought of 530 minutes in the Premier League.
  • Sam Vokes has netted three goals in his past three Premier League games, as many as in his previous 24 in the competition.
  • Salomon Rondon netted his first Premier League goal in 19 games, last scoring a hat-trick against Swansea on Boxing Day.
  • The Baggies scored with their first shot on target in the game [on 66 minutes].
  • A league-high 15 of West Brom's goals in the Premier League this season have come from corners (37%).

What's next?

Burnley travel to Bournemouth next Saturday before finishing the season at home to West Ham, while West Brom host Chelsea on Friday and travel to Manchester City the following Tuesday.

Line-ups

Burnley

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Heaton
  • 2Lowton
  • 28Long
  • 26Tarkowski
  • 23Ward
  • 21BoydSubstituted forBradyat 83'minutes
  • 18Westwood
  • 13Hendrick
  • 37ArfieldSubstituted forGudmundssonat 83'minutes
  • 9Vokes
  • 10BarnesBooked at 58minsSubstituted forGrayat 79'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Flanagan
  • 7Gray
  • 12Brady
  • 16Defour
  • 25Gudmundsson
  • 27Darikwa
  • 29Pope

West Brom

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 1Foster
  • 25Dawson
  • 23McAuleyBooked at 85mins
  • 6EvansSubstituted forNyomat 51'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 12WilsonBooked at 76minsSubstituted forYacobat 88'minutes
  • 24Fletcher
  • 11Brunt
  • 8Livermore
  • 47FieldSubstituted forMorrisonat 54'minutes
  • 14McClean
  • 9Rondón

Substitutes

  • 2Nyom
  • 5Yacob
  • 7Morrison
  • 13Myhill
  • 22Chadli
  • 45Leko
  • 49Wilson
Referee:
Mike Jones
Attendance:
20,825

Match Stats

Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamWest Brom
Possession
Home55%
Away45%
Shots
Home14
Away11
Shots on Target
Home4
Away3
Corners
Home5
Away8
Fouls
Home9
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Burnley 2, West Bromwich Albion 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Burnley 2, West Bromwich Albion 2.

  3. Post update

    Offside, Burnley. Tom Heaton tries a through ball, but Andre Gray is caught offside.

  4. Post update

    Attempt saved. James McClean (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Darren Fletcher.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Andre Gray (Burnley).

  6. Post update

    Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Booking

    Nyom (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  8. Post update

    Robbie Brady (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Nyom (West Bromwich Albion).

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Claudio Yacob replaces Marc Wilson.

  11. Goal!

    Goal! Burnley 2, West Bromwich Albion 2. Sam Vokes (Burnley) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Robbie Brady following a set piece situation.

  12. Booking

    Gareth McAuley (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  13. Post update

    Andre Gray (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Gareth McAuley (West Bromwich Albion).

  15. Post update

    Foul by Kevin Long (Burnley).

  16. Post update

    Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matthew Lowton.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Burnley. Johann Berg Gudmundsson replaces Scott Arfield.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Burnley. Robbie Brady replaces George Boyd.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Andre Gray (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea34263572294381
2Tottenham35238471234877
3Man City35209670373369
4Liverpool35209671422969
5Man Utd341714351252665
6Arsenal33186964422260
7Everton3616101060411958
8West Brom35129144145-445
9Leicester35127164554-943
10Bournemouth36119165265-1342
11West Ham36119164559-1442
12Southampton33118143944-541
13Stoke361011153952-1341
14Burnley36117183751-1440
15Watford35117173758-2140
16Crystal Palace36115204661-1538
17Swansea36105214169-2835
18Hull3697203669-3334
19Middlesbrough35513172645-1928
20Sunderland3566232860-3224
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