Scott Twine opens Burnley account with late winner in West Brom comeback win

Posted Saturday, January 21, 2023 by PA

Scott Twine celebrated his first goal for Burnley with a stunning free-kick winner three minutes from time as the Championship leaders claimed a 2-1 comeback victory over West Brom.

Twine, who has been restricted to just five substitute appearances following his summer move from MK Dons, curled a set-piece into the top corner to see off their spirited visitors.

The Baggies had led from the seventh minute at Turf Moor, when Darnell Furlong outmuscled Charlie Taylor at the near post to head in John Swift’s corner.

Nathan Tella, though, produced a calmly-taken equaliser 15 minutes from the end, before Twine’s late winner.

Burnley’s unbeaten home record, stretching back to last May, was under pressure from the seventh minute, when West Brom took the lead, with Furlong scoring seconds after Daryl Dike’s header from a Swift corner had been blocked by home midfielder Josh Cullen.

Burnley could have gone further behind, as Swift broke down the right and rolled a pass into Dike 10 yards from goal, with Cullen getting back just in time to make an excellent block.

Burnley then had two penalty appeals rejected in quick succession, as first Ashley Barnes tumbled under Erik Pieters’ challenge following Tella’s delivery from the right, and then Josh Brownhill appealed in vain for a shove in the back by Furlong as they went for Connor Roberts’ ball in.

Both sides were having uncertain moments in defence, with former Burnley defender Pieters almost turning Barnes’ drive across goal into his own net, with goalkeeper Alex Palmer reacting brilliantly to turn the ball on to the post with his foot.

At the other end, Aro Muric fumbled a Swift corner into the net under pressure from Conor Townsend and Okay Yokuslu, but referee Jarred Gillett ruled a foul on the goalkeeper.

Barnes was close to an equaliser twice before half-time, first deflecting Ian Maatsen’s drive into the net, only to be caught just offside, and then striking the crossbar with a rising first-time drive from Anass Zaroury’s cross.

Tella then had a penalty appeal rejected right at the end of the half as he tangled with Furlong, with Albion’s players racing to remonstrate with the Southampton loanee, who they felt had gone down too easily.

Burnley continued to press for a goal after half-time, with Yokuslu deflecting a cross-shot beyond the far post.

The visitors, had to defend with great spirit, with Pieters getting his head in the way of a Tella volley after clearing Zaroury’s cross, before substitute Manuel Benson volleyed the follow-up wide.

But then Tella raced on to Zaroury’s through pass, clear of Pieters, and slotted in an equaliser.

Palmer then dropped a cross at the feet of substitute Jay Rodriguez and – recovering just in time – then blocked well from Charlie Taylor’s volley, but could do nothing to deny Twine.