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End-of-season report: Burnley

Sports Mole looks back over a 2014-15 Premier League campaign that ended in relegation for Sean Dyche's Burnley.

Under the management of Sean Dyche, Burnley defied the odds during the 2013-14 season to earn themselves an unexpected promotion from the Championship.

With little funds to spend in the summer transfer market ahead of an assault on the Premier League, Dyche kept faith with many of the players that had triumphed during the previous campaign.

Yet, while the Clarets won many admirers for their honest performances, it was ultimately not enough to prevent them from being relegated at the first time of asking, just as they were during their previous stint in the Premier League five years ago.

Here, Sports Mole has taken a closer took at Burnley's 2014-15 campaign.

August

As a newly-promoted side, ideally a winnable home encounter is want you want on the opening day. While Burnley were indeed at Turf Moor, they were dealt a clash with title favourites Chelsea. Scott Arfield got the hosts off to a dream start, but the visitors, who were buoyed by summer arrivals Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, eventually won through 3-1.

It would turn out that Arfield's 14th-minute strike was the only goal that the Clarets would score in August. Next up was a trip to Swansea City, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the home side.

Burnley's Scottish midfielder Scott Arfield (L) celebrates with Burnley's English defender Kieran Trippier (R) after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match against Chelsea on August 18, 2014© Getty Images

However, Burnley's first point of the campaign arrived against Manchester United, who were unable to break down their stubborn hosts. Indeed, Burnley actually went closest to breaking the deadlock when midfielder David Jones curled his effort against David de Gea's crossbar.

There would be disappointment in the League Cup, though, as Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday returned to Yorkshire with a place in the third round of the competition thanks to a 1-0 win.

September

If August was viewed as a slow start to the campaign for Burnley, then the events of September turned it into a worrying time. A credible 0-0 draw was recorded from the trip to Crystal Palace after the international break.

However, the same scoreline achieved at home to fellow strugglers Sunderland was not as positive. Dyche's men created some good opportunities against the Wearsiders, but their inability to convert them was starting to prove costly.

Vito Mannone of Sunderland dives to make a save at the feet of George Boyd of Burnley during the Barclays Premier League match between Burnley and Sunderland at Turf Moor on September 20, 2014© Getty Images

This was followed by a hefty 4-0 hammering at the hands of a Saido Berahino-inspired West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. In the Black Country, Burnley registered just two shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes.

It meant that six games into the season, Burnley were without a victory and had not found the net since the opening day. Dyche, as you would expect, remained defiant, but it seemed that his team were in real danger of being cut adrift at the bottom.

October

After 565 minutes of waiting, Burnley scored a Premier League goal in early October. Michael Kightly was the scorer in the first half at the King Power Stadium, where a stoppage-time equaliser from Ross Wallace earned Burnley a dramatic point against Leicester City.

Yet, the remainder of the month would be disappointing for the Clarets as their wait for a first victory continued.

Ross Wallace of Burnley celebrates as he scores their second and equalising goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Burnley at The King Power Stadium on October 4, 2014© Getty Images

West Ham United and Everton visited Turf Moor and both left with 3-1 victories, leaving Burnley as the seemingly permanent residents of the basement.

As the campaign headed into November, Burnley were the only side in England's top four divisions without a win to their name.

November

Despite some stubborn resistance, Burnley were defeated 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on November 1, thanks in part to Arsenal's big summer signing Alexis Sanchez, who scored twice.

However, next time out and at the 11th time of asking, Burnley tasted victory. Ashley Barnes was the hero, scoring the only goal of the game in their home encounter against Hull City.

Ashley Barnes of Burnley celebrates scoring the opening goal with team mates during the Barclays Premier League match between Burnley and Hull City at Turf Moor on November 8, 2014© Getty Images

This seemed to breathe confidence into the Burnley squad. Away at Stoke City on November 22, a quickfire brace from striker Danny Ings secured a 2-1 win. So, having waited so long for a victory, like London buses, two had come along in quick succession.

A home encounter with Aston Villa concluded the month and it seemed that they would be heading back to Birmingham with a 1-0 victory courtesy of Joe Cole. Yet, Ings kept his cool from the spot three minutes from the end to rescue a 1-1 draw. November's exploits had seen Burnley haul themselves into the relegation battle, when before that they had appeared doomed.

December

Following a positive November, December got underway with a hard-fought 1-1 draw played out at Turf Moor against Newcastle United.

Next, there was disappointment when former Burnley frontman Charlie Austin was among the goals as QPR defeated the Clarets 2-0 at Loftus Road. However, Burnley then took advantage of a faltering Southampton side as Barnes's deflected second-half effort proved to be the match-winning moment.

Burnley players celebrate with Burnley's English striker Ashley Barnes after he scores the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Southampton at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England, on December 13, 2014© Getty Images

Slender defeats were then inflicted by Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, but the team's famous fighting spirit in their final outing of 2014 ensured that there would be plenty of positivity heading into the New Year.

When the half-time whistle was blown at the Etihad Stadium, hosting Manchester City were two goals to the good and seemed to be on their way to a routine victory. Burnley rallied after the restart, though, as goals from George Boyd and Barnes secured a 2-2 draw.

January

Initially, it seemed that the Clarets had carried that good feeling into 2015 when they played out an entertaining 3-3 draw away at Newcastle United.

This was then backed up by what appeared to be a vital 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers at Turf Moor. Former Burnley striker Austin had restored parity, but Ings scored the crucial goal to seal a 2-1 win.

Danny Ings of Burnley scores his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Burnley and Queens Park Rangers at Turf Moor on January 10, 2015© Getty Images

Yet, just when it seemed that Dyche's charges had cracked it, they were brought back down to earth with a big bump.

A brace from Dwight Gayle earned Palace a 3-2 win in Lancashire, before Sunderland also got the better of Burnley. It meant that having beaten QPR, they had gone on to lose to two other six-pointers. The FA Cup didn't provide any solace either, with Spurs inflicting a third-round exit.

February

It was in February that the writing seemed to be on the wall for Burnley, who failed to collect a victory from any of their four outings.

They raced into a two-goal lead at home to West Brom, only to be pegged back by the Baggies, who earned themselves a 2-2 draw.

Chris Brunt heads home West Bromwich Albion's first goal during the Premier League match against Burnley at Turf Moor on February 8, 2015© Getty Images

After that, a 3-1 defeat was the only reward for an impressive performance away at Manchester United, before a 1-1 draw was collected from the trip to Chelsea. However, the encounter will be best remembered for Barnes's horror challenge on Nemanja Matic, which went unpunished.

The month concluded at home to Swansea, who returned to Wales with all three points thanks to a Kieran Trippier own goal. It was a result that meant Burnley had won just one of their previous 11 games.

March

Trips to Southampton and Liverpool in March ended in 2-0 defeats as relegation grew more and more of inevitably.

However, just when Burnley looked down and out, it took the visit of champions Man City to spring them back into life.

George Boyd scores the opener for Burnley against Manchester City on March 14, 2015© Getty Images

Boyd's fifth goal of the season moved the home side up to 18th in the table, which reignited the belief around Turf Moor heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.

What's more, the win ensured that Burnley had taken four points from their two meetings with City.

April

No victories and no goals in April meant that it was only a matter of time before Burnley's relegation down to the Championship was confirmed.

North London duo Tottenham and Arsenal opened up the month at Turf Moor, the latter of whom returned home with a 1-0 victory thanks to Aaron Ramsey's early strike.

Mesut Ozil of Arsenal holds off Scott Arfield of Burnley during the Barclays Premier League match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor on April 11, 2015© Getty Images

A credible 0-0 draw was claimed against Spurs, but that was followed by 1-0 losses at the hands of Everton and Leicester, who were making a late and unexpected bid for survival.

That result not only lifted the Foxes out of the relegation zone, it also left Burnley bottom of the table and some five points from safety with only four matches left to play. With each passing the game, the situation was appearing bleaker and bleaker.

May

A 1-0 defeat away at West Ham at the start of May put Burnley in such a position that it was matter of when and not if they would be relegated.

It would actually be confirmed next time out at Hull, despite the fact that the Clarets won for the first time in seven outings.

Danny Ings celebrates scoring for Burnley on May 9, 2015© Getty Images

Ings ended a 10-hour goal drought to seal a 1-0 win at the KC Stadium, but it wasn't enough to preserve Burnley's Premier League status by a further week.

Their remaining top-flight fixtures brought about a 0-0 home draw with Stoke, before they were victorious on the road at Aston Villa on the final day of the season - a game which probably included Ings's last goal for the club.

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Danny Ings of Burnley celebrates after he scores with a header during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Burnley at Villa Park on May 24, 2015
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
2Sunderland1594225111431
3Burnley168621961330
4Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


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