Sean Dyche Addresses Controversial Penalty Overturn in Burnleys Win Over Cardiff

Sean Dyche has recognised his players' determination after the Clarets ground out a hard-fought win over Cardiff City on Saturday evening. 

The win moves Burnley 11 points clear of the relegation zone and barring a complete collapse during the final four matches of the season, the Clarets will play in the Premier League for the fourth season in a row. 

The win against Cardiff was Burnley's third consecutive victory after previously losing four in a row dating back to the end of February. Chris Wood hit the woodwork early in the match before eventually heading his side ahead following the half-hour mark, and then later combined with Dwight McNeil for his second of the game.

Following the match, manager Dyche saluted his squad after edging closer to safety in the league. The Burnley boss told Burnley's official site: "Until it’s certain, you don’t want to presume anything, but the win puts us in a very, very strong position and we’ve gone a massive step towards that (safety) today. 

“If you look at Cardiff’s next games, they have three out of five away and it’s tough going away in the Premier League. But, from our point of view, it’s more important to get it factually done and we are doing a fine job of that. 

"That’s 27 points in 15 games now, which is a fantastic run of form - and the players deserve an enormous amount of credit. I did say at Christmas that we are a strong outfit and we’d keen going. It’s been a tough season for many reasons and continues to be until it’s factually done, but we’ve laid down a good marker"

The biggest talking point during the match was when referee Mike Dean waved off a Cardiff City penalty, given by his assistant, after Ben Mee appeared to handle the ball in the 18-yard-box. Mee appeared to head the ball into his hand and Dean's decision was widely considered the correct call. 

Dyche had his say on the call when he claimed: "I was aggrieved that it was given by a linesman 70 yards away. It’s improbable that you can see that incident because of Ben’s body shape and the referee hasn’t given it. 

"Ben ‘faces’ it; he doesn’t head it, and it’s impossible he did that deliberately. That is the key. He’s gone to head it, it’s hit his eye socket and gone down his arm and that, for me, is impossible to give, so I’m pleased the right outcome was reached. 

"To be fair to the ref, it’s a massive call and I thought he showed real strength he showed to clean that moment up. We question them sometimes, but that was a really big call and the right one.”

The Clarets have a little over a week off before they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in the  Premier League on 22 April as they look to move further away from the dreaded drop-zone.