Champions Burnley join the 100 club with comfortable victory over Cardiff

Posted Tuesday, May 09, 2023 by PA

Burnley broke through the 100-point mark on the final day of their Championship-winning season thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win for Vincent Kompany’s team over Cardiff.

The victory featured goals from Josh Brownhill, Scott Twine and Ashley Barnes, the 33-year-old striker making his last appearance for the club after nearly a decade at Turf Moor.

The day marked the end of a wildly successful campaign for Burnley, relegated from the Premier League 12 months ago, who will return there with 101 points, the most in the division since Leicester won the Championship with one more in 2014.

The trophy presentation followed the final whistle as new minority owner JJ Watt, the former American football star, were among those home fans celebrating.

It also capped a productive spell for Burnley ownership who, on Friday, signed Kompany to a new five-year contract.

Chelsea are just one club to have been heavily linked with a move for Kompany, on the back of the former Manchester City captain’s achievements in revitalising Burnley.

They lost just one of their last 26 league games in storming to promotion with seven games still remaining.

Kompany and his players enjoyed a deserved lap of honour after their final game of a season in which they only lost three times and won 16 of their 23 league matches at Turf Moor.

The final victory was never in doubt from the moment Brownhill tapped the ball over the line to hand the hosts the lead in bizarre fashion after 27 minutes.

Defender Andy Rinomhota kept the ball in play as he tried to dispossess Anass Zaroury by pushing it into his area with his hands.

That enabled Zaroury to cross the ball for Brownhill to score from close range, despite Cardiff protests.

The visitors, who started the day five points above the relegation zone, were also responsible for Burnley’s second goal which put the outcome beyond their reach four minutes later.

Brownhill’s cross was met by defender Mahlon Romeo who chested the ball into the path of Barnes and he buried an excellent first-time finish.

It marked a popular, and fitting end to Barnes’ Burnley career as he leaves them bound for the Premier League, where he himself spent seven of his 10 seasons with the club.

In the second half it quickly became simply a question of how many the rampant Clarets would score, with Twine wasting an early opportunity as he raced clear and shot well over.

He made no such mistake after 58 minutes, however, when he lodged a superbly-hit right-foot free-kick from the edge of the box into the Cardiff net.

And Kompany’s decision to take Barnes off after 75 minutes, ensured he received a rousing send-off from home supporters.