Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Burnley: Scott Arfield strike enough to seal East Lancashire derby victory for Sean Dyche's side

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Scott Arfield certainly picks his moments. He is also pretty decent at picking out the top corner as well.

The Scot assured himself of hero status in Burnley with his first goal of the campaign - what a time for it - as bitter rivals Blackburn Rovers were sunk in the East Lancashire derby.

Arfield’s goal was a peach. After a David Jones free-kick wasn’t properly cleared, Ben Mee leaped to find Arfield well-positioned. Despite plenty of bodies between him and the target, he placed the ball beautifully into the net. A precise and deadly swing of the boot. 

Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield (right) celebrates giving his side a 1-0 lead against Blackburn Rovers

Michael Duff and the Burnley players rush to celebrate with Arfield as he races towards the away fans 

The away fans celebrate wildly inside Ewood Park after seeing their side take a 1-0 lead

Swept along by the euphoria of scoring against Burnley’s bitterest rivals, Arfield sprinted the full length of the field, pursued by his team-mates, to celebrate in front of the delirious travelling fans.

‘It is a controlled finish, it’s all about technique, a fantastic goal worthy of winning any game,’ said his thrilled manager Sean Dyche.

Gary Bowyer, the Blackburn Rovers boss, acknowledged it was a ‘sucker punch of a wonder goal’ in a game they controlled.

It proved enough to keep Burnley in the higher reaches of the Championship table and left Blackburn ruing a succession of missed chances, especially in the quarter-hour after half-time.

Tom Lawrence was the most culpable, missing a sitter, while Jordan Rhodes had a poor afternoon by his recent standards. They remain down the bottom.

Twelve miles and many decades of mutual animosity separate these two grand old clubs and, while the lunchtime kick-off might have squeezed pre-match drinking time, the atmosphere was punchy and parochial.

The home fans set off blue smoke flares and mobbed the Burnley team coach as it crept between the terraced houses beneath slate grey skies. It was like Clint Eastwood riding into a frontier town in one of those classic Westerns.

Inside Ewood Park, the crowd crackled. There were songs about past glories, incest and deceased heroes. Even the slightest bad touch or aberration was jeered mercilessly. 

Arfield curls the ball into the Blackburn net after a knockdown from Burnley defender Ben Mee

Former QPR midfielder Barton argues with referee Keith Stroud after a controversial decision 

Barton beats Blackburn's Corry Evans in the air during a hard-fought derby on Saturday

It was a football atmosphere as it should be. Prawn sandwiches were not being served here. The noise was as incessant as the drizzle.

But on the pitch, the first-half was a damp squib. There was plenty of application, the odd blood and thunder challenge, but a premium on actual chances and excitement.

Rovers weren’t the pre-match favourites here but they enjoyed the better opportunities, most falling to talisman Jordan Rhodes, seeking to build on his seven goals in the early knockings of the season.

On 10 minutes, his flicked header from a Marcus Olsson just cleared Tom Heaton’s crossbar. Later in the half, a similar execution from a Craig Conway delivery went wide. And in stoppage time, his blast from just outside the box was always rising.

Burnley, who entered the contest in fifth place following an encouraging first dozen games, did little before the break to hearten their near-five thousand travelling fans, some of whom arrived in chicken outfits to mock the Venky’s ownership of Rovers. 

Burnley's Andre Gray (left) looks to drive his team forward during the Championship clash

Gary Bowyer's side squandered a number of gilt-edged chances before falling behind

There were shouts for a penalty when Joey Barton went down in the area with Grant Hanley in the vicinity but referee Keith Stroud wasn’t buying it.

Likewise when Barton collided with the busy Tom Lawrence in the other penalty box just before the break. Both looked to be the correct call.

Burnley’s one chance worth noting came when Scott Arfield took aim for the far corner, his curling strike pushed clear by Jason Steele.

Rovers had a glorious chance 10 minutes into the second-half. Lawrence rampaged through the centre and rolled the ball to Rhodes before continuing his run. Rhodes rolled it back, on a plate.

Lawrence, perhaps already imagining Sunday’s headlines and local hero status, blasted it into the Darwen End.

Ben Marshall's strike is blocked by Gray as Blackburn looked to gain an advantage at Ewood Park 

Then Corry Evans strode onto an inviting loose ball with the advantage played after Ben Marshall had been fouled but flashed his effort wide.

Blackburn had a real head of steam and next it was Rhodes, turning inside Michael Keane, who saw his low shot smothered by Heaton. A man of his quality should have scored and it would soon be punished by Arfield’s goal.

Rovers didn’t capitulate, building again slowly and almost levelled it with a spectacular goal of their own when Conway’s 25-yard rasper struck the crossbar. Heaton also saved very well from Shane Duffy in stoppage time.

‘It was a game we shouldn’t have lost, quite simply,’ said Bowyer. ‘The chances we created, the football we played, especially in the second half, was dominant. But it comes to the stage where you’ve got to win football matches. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we can’t afford to.’