Burnley clinch Championship title at rivals Blackburn
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany described their 1-0 win at Blackburn to seal the title as a “tremendous achievement.”
The Clarets were second best for two thirds of the Sky Bet Championship game but Rovers could not take advantage, only carving out half-chances for Tyrhys Dolan and Dominic Hyam.
A half-chance was all Burnley needed at Ewood Park, as Manuel Benson curled a sumptuous 66th-minute winner into the far corner – his 12th of the campaign.
After completing the double over Blackburn, Kompany lauded his players for their ability to compete defensively to win the title at the home of their greatest rivals.
He said: “I don’t know if the lads realise it. I think J-Rod (Jay Rodriguez) does. He understands what it means for the people of Burnley to win the league at Ewood Park, you couldn’t write it.
“And even the scenario of the game. After everybody’s speaking about how good we are on the ball, today to see how good we were defensively, winning challenges, second ball, crosses, everything else. That’s a side of the team I’m proud about as well.
“A day that will live forever for us and a tremendous achievement by the lads.
“There’s two awards that you win this season which is promotion and the league, and then there’s two more trophies to win, your two derbies.
“We’ve won all four this season. I know what those games have meant for me in my career.
“We’ve made memories for life. No one can take that away from us. We won the league at Ewood Park.”
Rovers are eighth, level on points with sixth-placed Sunderland. But their results, if not their performances, have tailed off badly with just one win in nine matches.
Boss Jon Dahl Tomasson felt his side were the best team and believed they were denied an added-time penalty.
He said: “Obviously when you lose a game, you are disappointed. Especially against a rival.
“I know we are in two different places. They have played Premier League the last six seasons, with the Premier League experience and parachute money.
But I think actually we were the best team today. Before they scored a brilliant goal – all the credit to the lad -they didn’t have one shot on goal.
“We were missing, because we were playing the best side in the league, the quality in the last third to create a little bit more.
“So (I’m) disappointed to concede a goal after a great performance. On the other hand, the players kept going to the end.
“I haven’t complained about referees much this season. But in the end there was a penalty with the handball again, like Coventry.
“It’s important the referee gets those moments right. That is very disappointing. The linesman could see it.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub