Saturday, December 31, 2016

Gray's First Ever Burnley Premier Hat Trick Pivotal in Claret's 4-1 Drubbing of Sunderland

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, December 31, 2016 - Never before had a Burnley player notched a hat trick in the Premier League.  But it happened today at Turf Moor. On the last day of 2016, Andre Gray did something no one will ever forget.  He put up a hat trick for the homestanding Claret. 

It is a day Andre Gray will never forget.

Gray, who had gone ten matches without scoring until knocking in the game winner on Boxing Day at Turf Moor against Middlesbrough, today put the Claret ahead at halftime, 1-0, on a score in the 31st minute.  He then struck twice in the second stanza, first in the 51st minute, then, two minutes later in the 53rd minute.  In the 67th minute, Ashley Barnes drilled home a penalty kick for Burnley, putting the Claret ahead by a  commanding 4-0 count.  Sunderland saved a bit of face with a score by Jermain Defoe in the 71st minute.

Burnley is strong on the Premier Table, standing in 11th place, but only 3 points out of 8th place.  The Claret have 23 points.  Sunderland is ensconced in 18th place - a relegation position - and only two points out of last place.

There are five matches on the Claret Fixture Sheet in January, but one of these is a FA Cup Third Round Match at, imagine this, Sunderland.  It is next Saturday.  But Burnley also plays two days hence at Manchester City in a Premier duel.  Also in January, the Claret have Premier matches at Arsenal on January 22, and home against Southampton on January 14 and Leicester City on January 31.

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