Burnley 3-0 Blackburn Rovers: Clarets win east Lancashire derby to return to top of Championship
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Ashley Barnes' goal was his first in the league at Turf Moor since February 2021
Burnley overwhelmed Blackburn Rovers with three second-half goals as Vincent Kompany's Clarets returned to the top of the Championship in style.
Ashley Barnes opened his league account for the season to score twice, either side of one from Belgian winger Anass Zaroury, as Rovers ended up on the wrong side of a local derby hammering.
In the first league meeting between the two old east Lancashire rivals in six and a half years, and the last Championship game before the World Cup break, it took the hosts until just before half-time to test visiting keeper Thomas Kaminski.
But it was a different story after Barnes put Burnley ahead on 55 minutes, timing his run to meet Zaroury's left-wing cross and power a header into the bottom right corner.
They then doubled their lead on 74 minutes when Barnes' right-foot volley on the turn was well saved by Kaminski, the ball ran loose and Zaroury drilled in a low right-foot shot from the edge of the box - for his sixth Clarets goal of the season.
And Barnes, who like two-goal Zaroury had also scored in the 3-1 midweek Carabao Cup win over Crawley, wrapped up the scoring nine minutes from time.
Burnley had been knocked off the top of the table by Sheffield United's win at Cardiff on Saturday, a week on from the Clarets being badly beaten 5-2 by the Blades at Bramall Lane.
But, after a resolute defensive stonewalling display from Rovers before the break, Burnley ended up bouncing back with a winning three-goal margin of their own - the Clarets' biggest win in this fixture since February 1965.
Belgian winger Anass Zaroury has now scored six goals in all competitions this season for Burnley
It began to turn Burnley's way just before the break when Belgian keeper Kaminski made two fine saves inside a couple of minutes, first at point-blank range from on-loan Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, then tipping over Josh Cullen's header.
But Barnes finally broke the deadlock to send most of Turf Moor into rapture when Zaroury got the better of Ryan Hedges out wide and Barnes bulleted home his header.
Nathan Tella's flick then teed up Barnes for his well-struck volley, from which the luckless Kaminski's fine save was pounced on by Zaroury.
Then Josh Brownhill skipped past Clinton Mola and pulled his cross back for Barnes, who calmly slipped a challenge to fire home the third - and stretch their advantage over third-placed Rovers to five points.
Amid the Burnley celebrations near full-time, a firework was let off from outside the ground, with its remnants falling on the pitch. Thankfully, none of the players were hit by the falling debris.
What's next?
The Championship now goes into its enforced World Cup break, even though none of the players involved in Sunday's action at Turf Moor will be in Qatar.
Burnley have just one player involved, Wales defender Conor Roberts, who was an unused substitute, while Rovers are one of nine Championship clubs without a representative at the first winter World Cup.
Rovers go straight back into another Lancashire derby, with a home game against Preston North End on Saturday, 10 December.
Burnley are back in action the following day at faltering QPR, but they may have been knocked off the top again by then as second-placed Sheffield United play the day before at home to bottom side Huddersfield.
Ashley Barnes' memorable derby day
No league goals all season, then two come along at once...
Goal number 1 - 55th minute:
Ashley Barnes had not scored in the league since his penalty at Aston Villa in May
Goal number 2 - 81st minute:
Barnes had not scored two goals in the same game since the opening day of the 2019-20 season against Southampton
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It's as good as it gets. It was a home game. Turf Moor was rocking and bouncing from beginning to end and we got to experience a special moment together.
"I am proud for the work they've done and the way they approached this game. We get to learn from these moments as well.
"I hope this game is not something we see as an end point but is part of what's going to make us better. We can't lower our standards or habits. The basics will be what we pay attention to when we come back."
Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It's been a difficult afternoon against a good side. It was not one of our best days. When you reflect how we've been playing lately on the ball, it was not good enough.
"Our decision making and changes on the ball defensively in the first half was quite solid. It was a difficult afternoon and we are of course disappointed with the result for our fans as it's a derby.
"It was always a game of few chances until the first goal which is typical of a derby. When we conceded the first goal we couldn't get back."