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Burnley 2 Swansea City 0: Old boy Cork stars as Dyche´s men win again

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 18 Nov 2017

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Jack Cork inspired Burnley to a 2-0 win against former side Swansea City on Saturday, earning his new employers a third straight top-flight victory for the first time in the Premier League era.

Sean Dyche’s men keep pace with the Premier League’s top six after cruising to a comfortable victory against the lacklustre Swans, who remain one place off the bottom off the table.

Cork made his England debut in a brief cameo against Germany in the international break and he scored the opener at Turf Moor, heading in a terrific left-wing cross from Robbie Brady.

Another of Burnley’s Republic of Ireland contingent set up the second before the half-time break, Jeff Hendrick capitalising on more slack defending to play in Ashley Barnes, who slammed home his first Premier League goal since April.

Under-pressure Paul Clement introduced Wilfried Bony for the ineffective Jordan Ayew at the interval and the powerful striker breathed life into Swansea’s limp attack without ever threatening Nick Pope’s goal.

With Burnley having only conceded two home goals this season a fightback from the visitors was always unlikely, even though they had beaten the Clarets in all four previous Premier League meetings between the sides, and Clement may now face awkward questions over his future.

Ben Mee headed a deep right-wing Brady corner wide of the far post before Matt Lowton’s wildly hacked clearance almost ended in a spectacular own goal in a low-key opening.

Steven Defour tested Lukasz Fabianski twice in quick succession before the goalkeeper saved a downward Barnes header from a fine Lowton centre as the hosts built up momentum.

And Swansea could do little about a flowing move after 29 minutes that provided Cork with his first league goal since swapping the Liberty Stadium for Turf Moor in July.

Cork and Barnes combined to free Brady on the left and the Irish winger’s sublime cross was perfectly weighted for an unmarked Cork to power in a header.

A rampant Burnley made it two before half-time, Barnes thumping in from the edge of the box after Defour intercepted a loose pass and fed Hendrick, who slipped the striker in on goal.

Swansea improved after the interval and substitute Bony slid a fine reverse pass through to Tammy Abraham only for the new England international to blast the chance over the crossbar.

Bony fired wide of Pope’s left-hand post after 59 minutes before Renato Sanches bent a free-kick over the crossbar from a promising angle 25 yards out.

But Pope – who has kept five clean sheets in eight Premier League starts deputising for injured captain Tom Heaton – was never tested and the impressive hosts held firm with relative ease, while a third goal poked in by James Tarkowski was correctly ruled out for offside.

Swansea’s sixth loss in seven Premier League games piles the pressure on next weekend’s home match against Bournemouth, while a back injury that forced top goalscorer Abraham off on a stretcher late in the game compounded Clement’s misery.

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