Chris Wood fired home his fourth goal of the season to complete a fantastic comeback for Sean Dyche's men against Aston Villa. Burnley twice fell behind to Dean Smith's side, as they left it late to cap off a faultless week for the Lancashire club. 

Jack Grealish was also superb on the night for Villa, as he looked to be sending his side home with maxium points. His performance proving yet again to Gareth Southgate, why he should be one of the first names in his squad ahead of this summer's European Championships.

Story of the match  

Grealish took centre stage early on  at Turf Moor, operating off the left as part of the supporting cast for Ollie Watkins, alongside; Bertrand Traore and Ross Barkley.

All three were scintillating on the night, providing Smith's men with that unpredictability that has them breathing down the neck's of some of the leagues 'big boys'.

All will be wondering how their efforts have seen them leave Turf Moor empty handed.

Villa dominated the opening proceedings of the game as they sized up a way past the gritty Clarets defence. Nick Pope was called into action early on as he stood tall to deny Watkins' first attempt of the night, after a ferocious Villa break. 


With the discouraging frame of Pope between the Burnley sticks, it had all the hallmarks to be rather testing night for the away side, as they looked to their captain to unpick the lock of the home side. 

Twist, kick, turn, kick, kick  is what followed the Villa captain’s every touch, something he’s become accustomed too, every time he dons the low ankle socks. 

Villa looked most dangerous down the left hand-side, as Targett and Grealish combined. The former Southampton man picked out Watkins with a low-driven cross, as Villa’s top scorer needed no more than a deaf touch to help it past the helpless Pope. 

The goal gave Villa the an appetite to further storm the Burnley box as there was a relentless end to the first half. Barkley saw his audacious effort clip off the top of the crossbar, after Pope did fantastically well to deny Watkins his, and Villa's second of the night, prior.

Pope, again made sure Burnley had something to fight for in the second half as he denied Tyrone Mings’ effort following a scramble from a corner. 
 

The onslaught was only going one way, as the sides went in for halftime.

Dyche's men came out for the second half like a side possessed, and it wasn't long before they found themselves level. Westwood's corner seven minuets after the  restart was met by the unmarked Burnley skipper, Ben Mee, as he fired the Clarets back onto level terms.

Grealish continued to run the game, as he came ever so close to single-handedly putting his side in-front. Picking the ball  up from deep inside his own half and gliding past any claret and blue shirt that dared come within an inch of the ball. Tired legs is what ultimately  came between Grealish and a certain goal  of the season contender, as he was unable to put enough venom into his shot to cause Pope any real trouble.

The  Villa captain wouldn't have to wait long for his sixth goal of the campaign. Five minuets later he played an effortless one-two with Douglas Luiz before finishing off his own move with a clever finish from twelve yards out. 

The points looked like they'd certainly be heading back down the M6, that was until a Dwight McNeil stepped up to steer the game back in control of the home side. 

Erik Pieters slid McNeil in down the left, where his 'shot-cross' looked to pick Wood out in the box, only to evade the Burnley No.9, as well as the Villa defence, as it somehow trickled into the back out the net without any assistance. 

After spending the game fighting off scraps Burnley certainly wouldn't have complained with a share of the points.

But that would all change when Dyche’s men hit Villa with  the fatal blow less than 120 seconds after they levelled.

McNeil, yet again stepped into to play the role of the orchestrator. As his cross from the left hung perfectly for Wood, who made no mistake when connecting with the ball. As his header found the back of the Villa net to complete a remarkable comeback for Burnley. 

Team Line-ups 

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters, Brady, Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil, Rodriguez, Wood

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Traore, Barkley, Grealish, Watkins

VAVEL Logo
About the author