Flemming fires as Burnley piles goals on Plymouth
Burnley overwhelmed the EFL Championship's bottom side Plymouth Argyle, winning 5-0 on a chilly night in at Home Park, and scoring all the goals in the first half.
The rout started in the 11th minute when Josh Brownhill fired a bullet cross into the area which was met by a perfect volley from Zian Flemming that saw the ball almost burst the back of the net.
Plymouth resisted for another 20 minutes, but just after the half-hour mark, the flood gates opened.
Flemming netted a second with a tap-in and on 34 minutes, Josh Laurent scored the first of his two goals when he sent a powerful shot past Daniel Grimshaw in the Pilgrims' goal from the penalty spot.
His second was a less spectacular header at very close range, and Josh Cullen scored Burnley's fifth after shambolic play out from the back by Plymouth's defence gifted him a goal after Flemming pressured Grimshaw to attempt collection of a dreadful backpass.
In the second half, Burnley took its foot off the gas, but never looked under threat itself, keeping a remarkable 19th clean sheet in the process after 28 league matches.
The Clarets moved up to third on the table, unbeaten in 15 matches now and two points from second-placed Sheffield United.
It's next opponent is league leader Leeds United next Tuesday (AEDT), which is three points clear of the chasing pack.
For Plymouth, the story could not be more contrasting.
It sits rock bottom of the table on 21 points, five points away from the next worst team in Luton Town and six from safety, facing a huge mountain to climb if it is to stave off relegation.
