Burnley's 1-0 win away at Hull City this afternoon was not enough to save Sean Dyche's side from relegation.
The bittersweet victory came thanks to leading goalscorer Danny Ings, who found the net for the 10th time this season courtesy of a low strike in the second half.
Meanwhile, the hosting Tigers will head into the final two games of the campaign in the bottom three and they now face the real prospect of joining the Clarets in the second tier of English football next season.
Here, Sports Mole looks back over the contest to determine if the result was a fair one.
Match statistics
HULL
Shots: 21
On target: 3
Possession: 55%
Corners: 9
Fouls: 16
BURNLEY
Shots: 8
On target: 2
Possession: 45%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 12
Was the result fair?
The statistics above will have you believe that Burnley got lucky and, while they did receive a slice of good fortune on a couple of occasions, this is the type of match where stats can be misleading.
Hull may have had over 20 shots, but only three were on target. Yes, they did hit the crossbar twice, but it was Burnley that played the better football in the attacking third and they made the most of their one golden chance. Perhaps a draw would have been the fairest outcome, but you cannot begrudge the away side all three points.
Hull's performance
Not only did results elsewhere relegate Burnley, they also meant that a win for Hull was a necessity. Yet, while Sunderland, Aston Villa, Leicester City and even Newcastle United all picked up points, the Tigers looked as though they were playing with shackles on as they slipped to what could prove to be a costly defeat.
For all of their possession, it is hard to recall a moment in which Tom Heaton in the Burnley goal was called into any real action from open play. Even the second-half introductions of Nikica Jelavic and Abel Hernandez failed to inspire life into what was a lacklustre attacking performance.
They were solid at the back as you would expect from a Steve Bruce side, that was of course but for one moment when Michael Dawson was off the pitch receiving treatment for a bloodied nose. Hull failed to organise themselves without the centre-back and Ings punished them, which is bound to have deeply disappointed their manager.
Burnley's performance
The opening 45 minutes summed up the season so far for Burnley in a nutshell. They played some really good football up until the edge of the Hull area, where the final pass or decision was poor.
They did score a deserved goal after the restart, their first in seven outings. Meanwhile, at the back, Michael Duff and Jason Shackell headed away everything that was thrown at them in what was a great example of how to defend your 18-yard box.
Looking forward, if Dyche can keep the majority of this squad together and replace the reported Liverpool-bound Ings sufficiently, they should be able to mount a challenge to secure an immediate return to the Premier League next season.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Robbie Brady: Quite how the Irishman did not get his name on the scoresheet is a mystery. He had two great efforts from distance, both of which rattled the Burnley crossbar. Aside from that, he was the best player on the pitch as he made countless positive runs down the left flank and then backed those up by sending dangerous crosses into the area.
Biggest gaffe
Having missed a good chance in the first half, Ahmed Elmohamady was then at fault for the Burnley goal. His headed clearance was poor and struck a helpless Brady inside the Hull box. From there, the ball dropped kindly for Ings, who clinically fired beyond the reach of Steve Harper from close range.
Referee performance
It was by no means a physical contest, which certainly made Martin Atkinson's afternoon much easier. He kept his yellow card in his pocket until well into the second half, which helped the game as a spectacle. There was no real drama in the game and Atkinson certainly did not go looking for any.
What next?
Hull: The Tigers continue their survival bid a week today down in North London against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
Burnley: On the same day, relegated Burnley will look to give their supporters something to cheer about when they play host to Stoke City at Turf Moor.
Liam Apicella
