Burnley 4-0 Bristol City

Scott Arfield scores Burnley's third goal in their 4-0 victory over Bristol City

Andre Gray scored his first Football League hat-trick as Burnley beat struggling Bristol City to consolidate fifth place in the Championship.

Gray turned Aden Flint on the halfway line and raced clear to fire low past Frank Fielding and made it 2-0 to the hosts with a neat finish in the box.

Scott Arfield latched onto Sam Vokes' through-ball to grab Burnley's third.

Gray completed his treble when he swept the ball past Fielding following Matthew Lowton's pinpoint low cross.

The win enabled the Clarets to close to within three points of Hull City and Brighton, the two teams immediately above them in the Championship table, while City remained in the bottom three on goal difference.

Burnley, who were beaten 3-0 at Hull on Boxing Day, made the better start as Arfield fired just wide from inside the box, while Vokes saw a low deflected shot hit the post.

Joey Barton's 30-yard shot clipped off the top of the crossbar, but just as Burnley's dominance looked like bringing them no reward, they scored twice in eight minutes.

Gray's solo run put Burnley ahead and his second arrived when Lowton's cross was not cleared and David Jones headed the ball back into the box for the striker to finish.

The visitors started the second half brightly and Flint should have done better when he volleyed over the bar from outside the box.

Arfield, who netted twice in Burnley's 4-0 victory over Charlton last weekend, scored his fourth goal of the season when he converted a superb pass from Vokes.

Gray, who had previously scored three hat-tricks for Luton in non-league, grabbed his 15th goal of the season and third of the afternoon when he met Lowton's cross with his right foot.

Andre Gray celebrates his hat-trick with the matchball under his shirt

Burnley manager Sean Dyche:

"It's a tough division, we know that. The fact is we've come a long way this year and to finish on that performance, with that result, is a good marker for this club in the bigger picture.

"Andre Gray was fantastic. He gave a real reaction because I thought he was below par the other day and he knew that.

"We had a little chat about it. We want him to play with freedom and do what he did.

"Sam Vokes was also outstanding. He did all the stuff the supporters perhaps might not notice. It was a very good team performance."

Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill:

"What's happening now is we need more chances to score a goal. It's hard trying to create chances game after game after game and not take them.

"I think we played equally good football to Burnley and, if not, then at least in the second half. Their third goal was against the run of play.

"If you put any one of our lads into Burnley's team, then they wouldn't have looked out of place.

"If we could have had one, two or three of Burnley's players, then I think we'd have won the game - that's the difference."

Scott Arfield has now scored three goals in Burnley's last two home matches