With two vital home games over the festive period, it was crucial for Burnley to begin with a win, and thanks to Andre Gray’s 80^th minute strike, Burnley once again earned three points at home in a tight game.

Burnley were forced into one change with Jon Flanagan deputising for Matthew Lowton who missed the game after receiving five yellow cards. Steven Defour remained a substitute but Johan Berg Gudmundsson featured on the bench after a month out injured.

The game was tense and nervy throughout, with neither side forging serious chances for much of the game. This was not helped by a gusty wind which refused to leave the pitch.

Referee Lee Mason saw fit to dish out 11 total cards (from 35 fouls), but Burnley and Boro fans alike will tell you it was not an 11 card game, and perhaps the two players who fouled the most (Marney and Gibson) didn’t receive cards. Hendrick’s booking will keep him out of the Sunderland game on New Years Eve.

Middlesbrough were very lax throughout the game, and while they had spells of dominating possession, they rarely threatened the Burnley goal. The first shot on target came on the hour mark, one of only two in the whole game.

Burnley started brightly with good possession and a handful of half chances created, our most glaring came from a Dean Marney shot which Calum Chambers clearly handled. He moved his arms out to handle the ball instinctively which in my opinion is as clear a deliberate handball as you can see.

The second half saw Middlesbrough dominate possession in Burnley’s half, but while they were stringing more passes together they were unable to forge and decent chances in their period of dominance.

After substitute Defour was cynically chopped down whilst breaking away in his own half, Heaton’s resulting freekick immediately put Boro under pressure, and Sam Vokes’ cushioned header was met with a furious volley from Gray. Victor Valdes will know he should’ve done better but I think the timing and power of the shot were enough to send it trickling into the net.

Neither team played pretty football, that is for sure, but I did feel Boro were more of a force when they came to the Turf last year and we could only draw.

Next up is Sunderland at the Turf once more and a win could put us nine points clear of relegation which would be huge at this stage of the season. The win has lifted a bit of pressure on the Sunderland game but I do hope we go for it and try to take all three points.