Mats Wieffer’s brace kept Brighton firmly in the hunt for European football next season and edged sorry Burnley closer to the drop.
Wieffer produced two clinical finishes, in the 43rd and 89th minutes, to give Fabian Hurzeler’s side a 2-0 win which moved them to within two points of sixth-placed Chelsea and only one behind Brentford in seventh.
Despite not being at their best, the visitors still had too much for Scott Parker’s team and the hosts, after losing for the 20th time in the league this term, were booed off at the final whistle.
Burnley demonstrated a steeliness they have lacked throughout most of the season during a competitive first half, with Jaidon Anthony having an effort ruled out for offside as Parker’s men caused problems whenever they surged forward.
The only trouble was, with Brighton guilty of over-elaborating or failing to gamble when the effective Yankuba Minteh whipped a series of tantalising centres across Martin Dubravka’s box, they were also unable to make the most of the opportunities which came their way.
That wastefulness was punished two minutes before the interval when Wieffer ended his 16-month goal drought by stroking the ball past Dubravka, who had already denied Minteh and been let off the hook when Danny Welbeck uncharacteristically fluffed his lines inside the six-yard box.
Minteh, whose industry had created the opening for the former England forward, was predictably involved in the flowing move which ended with Wieffer directing a low first-time shot into the bottom corner, having sent Pascal Gross scampering down the touchline with a slide-rule pass before the German cut the ball back for his Dutch team-mate.
As groans echoed around the stadium following Burnley’s latest body blow, Lesley Ugochukwu found himself presented with a fine opportunity to level when Brighton’s defence went to sleep.
But the Burnley midfielder sliced his attempt wide of a post, much to the relief of keeper Bart Verbruggen.
To their credit, the hosts’ disappointment had vanished by the time they came out for the second period.
Bashir Humphreys thought he had levelled, only to be adjudged offside after sliding home from close range when Verbruggen parried a James Ward-Prowse free-kick straight into his path.
Soon after Zian Flemming drew a smart save from Verbruggen, who blocked the former Millwall attacker’s attempt with his legs.
Brighton, though, always carried a threat when they charged forward and it required an equally impressive intervention from Dubravka to palm away a curling attempt from Jack Hinshelwood which looked destined for the net.
But Wieffer pounced in superb fashion on the stroke of full-time after combining with Yasin Ayari when Burnley’s defence failed to clear.
