Josh Brownhill’s first-half penalty was enough to give Burnley a 1-0 win over Plymouth in the managerial battle between former England team-mates Scott Parker and Wayne Rooney.
Although there was only one goal in it at Turf Moor, and that coming from a rather soft penalty that came when Darko Gyabi tripped Josh Cullen right on the edge of the box in the 25th minute, Burnley were deserving winners as Argyle failed to register a shot on target.
Rooney’s side made the long trip north in confident mood after recent wins over Sunderland and Luton, either side of a narrow loss to West Brom, helped shift them away from the foot of the table, but once Burnley were into their stride, Parker’s promotion hopefuls always looked the more likely winners.
The frustration will be their inability to score from open play despite a string of chances.
Luca Koleosho fired over from Lucas Pires’ cross in the 13th minute and then swept in a cross for Jaidon Anthony, whose low shot from the edge of the box was pushed clear by Argyle goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw somewhat unconvincingly.
At the other end, Ibrahim Cissoko, brought into the Plymouth starting XI after coming off the bench to score a brace in Friday’s 3-1 win over Luton, cut in from the left and Rami Al Hajj worked it across to Morgan Whittaker, but his shot from the edge of the box was well wide.
A couple of minutes later, Burnley had the breakthrough as Gyabi rather rashly stuck out a leg and Cullen gratefully tumbled over it, with Brownhill stepping up to send Grimshaw the wrong way from the spot.
Plymouth had all but disappeared as an attacking force and Lyle Foster perhaps should have doubled Burnley’s lead as he latched onto Cullen’s long pass but sent a shot wide as he flicked it over the onrushing Grimshaw.
Less than 30 seconds into the second half Bashir Humphreys spurned another chance for Burnley with team-mates queuing up to have a go.
Anthony was the next with a clear sight of goal as he cut in from the left, hitting a fierce shot which Grimshaw palmed clear.
But Burnley began to lose their momentum and a series of mis-placed passes offered Plymouth some late encouragement, with Whittaker bending a shot over from a decent position in the 71st minute.
Burnley needed to steady the ship, and substitute Jeremy Sarmiento almost did that in style as he burst forward in the 79th minute, cutting in from the right and, having seen Foster go down injured, tried his luck with a low shot which fizzed narrowly wide of the post.
Burnley’s inability to kill off Plymouth gave substitute Mustapha Bundu a late chance to snatch a point, but he fired into the side-netting to the frustration of his manager.
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