AFC Bournemouth win 2-0 away at Burnley in Premier League

Justin Kluivert’s fourth league goal of the campaign was eventually added to by Antoine Semenyo in the dying embers, giving Cherries what could only be described as a smash and grab.

After an unsuccessful midweek foray against Leicester City in the FA Cup, Cherries reverted to the side that faced Manchester City last weekend in the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke was fit enough to start and lead the line for Cherries, much to the relief of their travelling fans.

Dara O’Shea picked up a booking for time wasting inside the opening minute; knocking the ball out of the hands of Solanke as he prepared to take a throw in.

The majority of the first half was spent camped inside the Cherries half, with the hosts frequently testing the away defence.

Neto was called into an early save, the shot stopper holding well from a Wilson Odobert chance that had been well-crafted by the Burnley attack.

Marcos Senesi dealt with a ball over the top, prodding it out for a throw-in, only to immediately pull up and gesture to the bench that he could not continue.

In his stead came Chris Mepham, the Welshman’s first minutes since the 4-0 defeat at home to Liverpool in January.

Cherries continued to just about deal with their hosts’ unconvincing control of the game, repelling attacks with minor fuss.

In fact, they even managed to venture forward with an attack of their own.

A long ball found Lewis Cook, who promptly played in Kluivert.

The Dutchman managed to master a bouncing ball inside the area, keeping calm as he blasted past James Trafford in the Burnley goal to open scores on 13 minutes.

But Cherries would not be sparked into life by the goal, as the pattern of the game returned to Burnley dominance.

Neto was in fine fettle, the goalkeeper denying David Datro Fofana one-on-one before Adam Smith intervened with a block to prevent Jacob Bruun Larsen on the rebound.

Semenyo perfectly timed a sliding intervention to deny Charlie Taylor inside the Cherries box, but the winger would later earn a spot in referee David Coote’s book for a clumsy push.

On the stroke of half time Kluivert would also earn a yellow card, the goalscorer arriving late as he caught Josh Cullen’s calf on the edge of Cherries’ area.

The resultant free kick allowed Bruun Larsen to fire an effort on goal, Cherries keeper Neto clawing the shot away right before it fully crossed the line.

Shortly after, Taylor’s cross from the left found an unmarked Vitinho in the box, the Burnley man flashing over when it seemed simple to hit the target.

Cherries would have welcomed the respite brought by the half time interval, Andoni Iraola bringing on Alex Scott in place of Ryan Christie.

But again Cherries were second best to a Burnley side that did not look impressive themselves.

A rare break forward saw a good combination of passes, Cook releasing Tavernier down the left.

The winger in turn found Kluivert, who delivered a neat ball to the arriving Solanke at the back stick. Cherries’ top scorer let fly, but was denied his 15th league goal of the campaign by a strong Trafford stop.

Down the other end, the home side thought they had found an equaliser when captain Cullen headed home at the back stick.

However, match official Coote was quick to whistle for an apparent shove in the back from the midfielder on Cherries’ Smith, ruling the goal out.

There were a couple of chances down the other end for Cherries, both falling to Semenyo.

Solanke and Semenyo combined for the first, the latter feeding the former before getting the ball back, firing just wide of the post.

A delightful Cook ball switched the play to Semenyo on the right-hand flank moments later, the winger cutting inside and again placing narrowly the wrong side of the far post.

Cherries would find a second through a mirror-copy of that move. As a Burnley attack broke down, Cook once again hit a diagonal pass for Semenyo to run onto.

The Ghanaian international once again drifted into the box and letting fly, this time a deflection off Taylor sending the ball crashing into the back of the net.

That gave Cherries a two-goal cushion whilst also signalling the end of the game for many home fans, who headed for the turnstiles.

Burnley: Trafford; Assignon, O’Shea (Rodriguez, 90), Esteve, Taylor; Vitinho (Benson, 77), Cullen (Gudmundsson, 90), Berge, Bruun Larsen (Amdouni, 69), Odobert, Datro Fofana.

Unused subs: Cork, Ekdal, Tresor, Delcroix, Muric (g/k).

Booked: O’Shea, Vitinho.

Cherries: Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi (Mepham, 12), Kerkez (Ouattara, 89); Cook, Christie (Scott, h-t); Semenyo, Kluivert (Billing, 73), Tavernier; Solanke (Unal, 89).

Unused subs: Kinsey, Faivre, Sinisterra, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier, Smith.

Referee: David Coote.