Josh Laurent said it was a proud moment to finally open his Burnley account and hopes his two goal salvo at Plymouth Argyle will help him kick on.

The 29-year-old scored twice in nine minutes towards the end of an opening half at Home Park where the Clarets scored five time to brush their struggling hosts aside

His first in a Clarets shirt was a magnificent first-time strike into the top corner before following up with a close range header.

“I have missed some sitters this season for the boys, so I’m really happy to get my first goals for the club,” Laurent told the club website. “It’s a proud moment to be honest.

“Hopefully I can kick on now and get a few more to contribute with the other lads. I know the tactics well and our pattern, so I always back myself to get on the end of one.

“I missed one against Stoke from a similar distance a few weeks ago, so it was good to get a couple and execute the movement of play.”

Laurent said Burnley were fully focused on Plymouth despite Monday night’s top-of-the-table clash with Leeds United at Turf Moor looming large.

“It shows the mentality of the group,” he said. “The most important thing for us was to come away from Plymouth with all three points and that’s what we have done.

“Next up for us now is Monday night, we will rest and recover and then prepare like we do for every game for the rest of the week.”

Burnley’s defensive strengths have been well documented - the shut-out at Plymouth was a 19th clean sheet of the season - but Laurent was delighted the Clarets got to show off their attacking abilities in Devon.

“It’s something that has probably been coming for a while now and it’s something that we have wanted and worked hard on,” he said.

“Everyone knows we need to be more clinical in front of goal, so it was really pleasing not only for ourselves and the coaches, but for the fans as well.”

He added: “The coaching staff work tirelessly with us throughout the week on tactics, formations, set-pieces and patterns of play.

“The team were clinical in executing all of that. We were every bit of what we wanted and needed to be and it’s a pleasing night for us.”