MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 1 – 1 WOLVES

Clarets fight for vital point against Wolves

A dominant Burnley picked up a point against Wolves on Tuesday night extending their unbeaten run to four games, in an evening with plenty of positives to take for Vincent Kompany’s side.

The Clarets made two changes from the side that drew with Chelsea at the weekend, with Charlie Taylor and David Datro Fofana named in the starting XI and Zeki Amdouni dropping to the bench. Lorenz Assignon’s red card at Stamford Bridge meant the Frenchman served a one match ban.

Burnley looked lively in the opening stages with Lyle Foster and Fofana linking up well as they looked to work the Wolves defence in what was a big night for the Clarets under the lights at Turf Moor.

Rayan Ait-Nouri was the most threatening for the visitors from early on and brilliant defensive work from Vitinho saw the full-back race back to deny any chance at goal.

Gary O’Neil’s side found themselves in a promising position 26 minutes in when a ball in found Matt Doherty but his header went wide of the post.

A sliding tackle by Joao Gomes on Vitinho saw the Wolves number 8 injure himself in the process and there was a short break in play whilst he received treatment. Before long he was back on his feet and shortly after a driving run from Brazilian Vitinho presented an opportunity to shoot but his effort was well saved by Jose Sa.

The deadlock was broken 37 minutes in when Burnley’s pressure paid off. Dara O’Shea sent a great ball into the area and Jacob Bruun Larsen was perfectly positioned to hammer it home.

As half-time approached three additional minutes were added and the Clarets aimed to nullify any Wolves’ threats at a response.

Josh Cullen had an attempt from the edge of the box but his shot travelled over.

However, disappointment for the home side came seconds before the whistle. The referee adjudged Maxime Esteve to have fouled Rayan Ait-Nouri and Wolves were awarded a free-kick.

Pablo Sarabia sent the ball in and it was Ait-Nouri, who had continued to be Wolves biggest threat during the opening 45, that managed to direct his header past Aro Muric to bring the two sides level.

There were no changes from either side at the restart as, cheered on by the home crowd, the Clarets looked to get a foothold in the second 45.

Picking up where they left off the home side enjoyed plenty of possession and drove forward in numbers.

Muric made a big save 52 minutes in when he expertly blocked goal scorer Ait-Nouri one-on-one.

A break in play when Gomes went down injured saw the ball with Wolves. However, Nelson Semedo was the first to find himself in the book when the referee deemed him to take too long with the restart.

Teenager Wilson Odobert continued to put the Wolves defence to work in the second half with his tidy footwork as the Clarets looked for an elusive second goal.

Bruun Larsen almost found it when fantastic work from Sander Berge in retaining possession resulted in Foster sending the ball in and it took a leaping Jose Sa to keep the Dane’s shot out.

Shots in quick succession meant the Wolves keeper was needed again when Odobert struck at goal. The Portuguese international saved though to keep the teams level in what was turning into an all action second half.

The 67th minute brought about a change from the visitors with Santiago Bueno making way for Hugo Bueno.

Further fine goal keeping from Muric saw the Kosovan quick off his line to smother an advancing Ait-Nouri.

Burnley’s first change of the evening came 73 minutes in when goal scorer Bruun Larsen was replaced by Jay Rodriguez.

A well taken Odobert strike was saved by Sa again as the Clarets work rate was giving the home crowd plenty to cheer about.

A second Wolves change of the night saw Leon Chiwome make way for Matheus Cunha and shortly after Pablo Sarabia was withdrawn for Boubacar Traore.

A high pressing Burnley side had managed to limit Wolves chances second half but they did break forward 85 minutes in when Ait-Nouri’s ball to Lemina just clipped the post giving the Clarets a scare.

In the final substitution of the evening it was a switch for the Clarets with Manuel Benson coming on for Lyle Foster.

As the final 90 drew to a close Jay Rodriguez had the ball in the back of the net when he was quick to react to the rebound from an Odobert shot but the striker was flagged offside.

Four minutes additional time were added as a lively Burnley pushed on.

Benson found himself on the end of a Gomes foul, which resulted in a yellow card for the Wolves man. This was to be the last action of the game though as the referee blew the whistle in a night that saw both sides leave with a point a piece.

Burnley: Muric, O’Shea, Taylor, Berge, Foster (Benson 86), Vitinho, Fofana, Cullen, Esteve, Bruun Larsen (Rodriguez 73), Odobert

Unused substitutes: Vigouroux, Cork, Gudmundsson, Brownhill, Ekdal, Amdouni, Delcroix

Wolves: Sa, Doherty, Ait-Nouri, Lemina, Gomes, H Bueno (S Bueno 68), Sarabia (Traore 83), Semedo, Kilman, Toti, Chiwome (Cunha 83)

Unused substitutes: Bentley, P Lemina, Doyle, Barnett, Chirewa, Fraser

Goals: Bruun Larsen 37′, Ait-Nouri 45+3′