Burnley vs Plymouth Argyle. Sky Bet Championship.
Turf MoorAttendance18,779.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Burnley and Plymouth Argyle at Turf Moor on Tuesday night; Josh Brownhill's penalty earns Scott Parker's Clarets a narrow win over Wayne Rooney's side.
Tuesday 1 October 2024 23:38, UK
Josh Brownhill's first-half penalty was enough to give Burnley a 1-0 win over Plymouth in the managerial battle between former England team-mates Scott Parker and Wayne Rooney.
Although there was only one goal in it at Turf Moor, and that coming from a rather soft penalty that came when Darko Gyabi tripped Josh Cullen right on the edge of the box in the 25th minute, Burnley were deserving winners as Argyle failed to register a shot on target.
Rooney's side made the long trip north in confident mood after recent wins over Sunderland and Luton, either side of a narrow loss to West Brom, helped shift them away from the foot of the table, but once Burnley were into their stride, Parker's promotion hopefuls always looked the more likely winners.
The frustration will be their inability to score from open play despite a string of chances.
Luca Koleosho fired over from Lucas Pires' cross in the 13th minute and then swept in a cross for Jaidon Anthony, whose low shot from the edge of the box was pushed clear by Argyle goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw somewhat unconvincingly.
At the other end, Ibrahim Cissoko, brought into the Plymouth starting XI after coming off the bench to score a brace in Friday's 3-1 win over Luton, cut in from the left and Rami Al Hajj worked it across to Morgan Whittaker, but his shot from the edge of the box was well wide.
A couple of minutes later, Burnley had the breakthrough as Gyabi rather rashly stuck out a leg and Cullen gratefully tumbled over it, with Brownhill stepping up to send Grimshaw the wrong way from the spot.
Plymouth had all but disappeared as an attacking force and Lyle Foster perhaps should have doubled Burnley's lead as he latched onto Cullen's long pass but sent a shot wide as he flicked it over the onrushing Grimshaw.
Less than 30 seconds into the second half Bashir Humphreys spurned another chance for Burnley with team-mates queuing up to have a go.
Anthony was the next with a clear sight of goal as he cut in from the left, hitting a fierce shot which Grimshaw palmed clear.
But Burnley began to lose their momentum and a series of mis-placed passes offered Plymouth some late encouragement, with Whittaker bending a shot over from a decent position in the 71st minute.
Burnley needed to steady the ship, and substitute Jeremy Sarmiento almost did that in style as he burst forward in the 79th minute, cutting in from the right and, having seen Foster go down injured, tried his luck with a low shot which fizzed narrowly wide of the post.
Burnley's inability to kill off Plymouth gave substitute Mustapha Bundu a late chance to snatch a point, but he fired into the side-netting to the frustration of his manager.
Burnley's Scott Parker:
"We probably are (ahead of the curve) if I'm being brutally honest. This is a young team, a fresh team, this team has been together for four or five weeks.
"We had a six-week pre-season giving them information and half of those players are no longer here so we have to reset and restart, so for sure I'm absolutely delighted with where we currently are.
"In the first half we were exceptional and every bit the team I want us to be. It was arguably the best 45 minutes we've probably played in terms of the real good structure and every player understanding where the ball needs to move, and you probably need to come in two or three-nil up…
"I've been in this division and around this division many a time. The first half you're thinking can it be two or three. In the second half, let's be honest, you're thinking can we just get out of here with a win.
"I'm not going to be embarrassed to say in the second half we needed to fight, we needed to be resilient and get out with the three points and that's what the players have shown."
Plymouth's Wayne Rooney:
"Initially from the side it looked like a penalty and I understand why the referee (Robert Madley) has given it, but I don't think it's as clear cut as I thought.
"Darko does put his leg up but it's clever play from the Burnley player to throw himself into it. As an attacking player you use your nous and the leg is there, you throw yourself into it but it was a little bit harsh.
"We've come away from home against a very good team, of course you want to try and restrict Burnley from creating clear-cut chances and I think we've done that.
"We got in some good positions in the final third but in the first half we rushed some good chances and the second half I think the decision-making and maybe the weight of the pass maybe denied us."
