Burnley's Jay Rodriguez celebrates scoring the opening goal against Stoke City
Burnley moved back into the Championship's automatic promotion spots with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.
The home team had the better of a scoreless first-half, with on-loan striker Tom Cannon proving the main threat, as Burnley scrambled to repel repeated Potters' counter-attacks.
But it was the Clarets who came out strongest after half-time, Jay Rodriguez slotting home from close range before substitute Josh Brownhill sealed the win from the penalty spot after Josh Cullen was fouled.
The result leaves Scott Parker's men one point ahead of third-placed Leeds United, while Stoke remain stuck in mid-table, staying in 14th.
Stoke City's Junior Tchamadeu (left) takes on Burnley's Bashir Humphreys
Stoke started off the stronger of the two teams, defender Ben Wilmot testing Clarets' keeper James Trafford from the centre of the box inside the first six minutes.
Burnley then responded with a wild effort from Cullen as both teams struggled to generate clear-cut chances.
Further unsuccessful efforts from Josh Laurent, Luca Koleosho and Jeremy Sarmiento followed, before Stoke grew into the game as half-time neared with Million Manhoef and Eric-Junior Bocat unable to hit the target.
Cannon had the Potters' best chance on the stroke of half-time, finding the ball at his feet on the left side of the penalty area, but was unable to control his shot which flashed high and wide to the left of Trafford’s goal.
Having borne the brunt of the attacks, Burnley came out renewed in the second half. Shortly after the restart, Connor Roberts found himself in space on the right-hand side. His ball found Laurent, who played a simple cut back to Rodriguez, and the striker touched the ball in from close range.
With Stoke’s resolve broken, Burnley pushed for further goals; the lively Jaidon Anthony being played in by Laurent before firing over, having beaten the first defender.
Stoke's frustration grew, first as Bae Junho was booked, before Cullen powered forward into the penalty area only to be tripped by Tatsuki Seko. Referee Oliver Langford immediately pointed to the spot, with substitute Brownhill firing into the bottom left corner.
Both sides had further chances as the match ebbed away, but it was the Lancashire team who maintained their impressive run of clean sheets, recording a fifth successive shut-out in the league, for the first time since 1980.
Stoke City boss Narcis Pelach:
"In the last 10 minutes [of the first half] we were very good and we got a little bit of momentum.
"But then in the second half, when they score, of course it goes down a little bit because it’s more difficult.
"We changed formation again to try to be more aggressive.
"And yeah, it's a pity because then the second goal, with the penalty, the game is gone and they have quality, they have a lot of talent in their squad and in the changes that they do."
Burnley boss Scott Parker:
"This team was put together practically in the last day of a transfer window.
"As a coach, and I've been in this position many a time, you're trying to instil some traits and some habits in human beings, as in the 30-man squad we've got, that you know will build a foundation.
"And we've done an extreme amount of work on that.
"There's still so much for us to do. We still can improve for sure.
"This is not just a back five that should take the credit for clean sheets. This is a whole team. This is a team that are relentless.”
