Goals from Danny Ings and Scott Arfield, one early in each half, ensured we went into the festivities in first place and brought and end to the year at Turf Moor with an 15th successive home league game without defeat.
I know Sean Dyche dismisses these things as rubbish, but a home game against Blackpool is one I look forward to. Although they were the first team I ever saw beat Burnley in a first team game, that back in October 1960, I have now seen us record 18 home league wins against them and that's a record I've seen only matched against Fulham.
This one, like most of the others, was fully deserved although things might have just been a little bit different but for a couple of smart saves from Tom Heaton with the score at 1-1 and Blackpool in the ascendancy during the first half.
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| Dean Marney was influential in the midfield |
Sean Dyche was able to name an unchanged team from that which had drawn at Leicester seven days earlier and that meant a first home game for Dean Marney since the Bournemouth draw at the beginning of October.
We prided ourselves earlier in the season in making positive starts to games, but we hadn't scored a single first half goal at home since the 2-1 win against Reading at the beginning of October. We soon put that right and it was from a corner routine that not so long ago was a regular feature for us.
The bright start we demanded was there and in only the seventh minute we won our second corner of the game when a Scott Arfield cross was deflected wide by Jack Robinson.
David Jones played it low into the penalty box. Michael Duff assumed the David Edgar role as he dummied the ball and there was Ings who controlled his shot perfectly to hit it into the bottom of the net.
Unfortunately, if we thought that was going to be the start of a good half for us we were to be a little disappointed as Blackpool came back and played possibly as well as any side have played against us this season at home.
And midway through the half they drew level, their goal too coming from a right wing corner as Craig Cathcart got up to head home from close range.
The next fifteen minutes or so were difficult for us and but for Heaton we would have gone behind. Twice he got down to make good saves to his left, the first from Dan Gosling and then from former Derby and Bristol City forward Steven Davies.
Little had been seen of us for some time but an Ings shot wide of goal reminded Blackpool that we were still in the game as half time approached. Even so, I think we were relieved to get in level at half time.
The second half was a different story other than it followed the initial pattern of us scoring early again, but this time there was never any real likelihood of Blackpool coming back.
In just the second minute of the half we got the ball down the left flank but Jones looked trapped in possession by the corner flag. He was able to get the ball back to Ben Mee who then played it inside for Arfield.
The rest was down to Arfield, who is being tipped for a first call up for his country. He looked up, saw a gap at the far post and curled an absolute beauty past the helpless Matt Gilks to restore our lead.
We never let the game fall out of our grasp again and might well have added further goals. Arfield smacked another against the post, but this time it was a cross, a bad cross in his own words. He then set up Ings who headed wide.
Blackpool made changes. Even Michael Chopra made an appearance, he who once played for Newcastle, but they looked a beaten side.
And Ings might just have got that crucial third right at the end but for Gilks. Dean Marney, such an influence in the midfield, stormed forward in stoppage time. I thought he should have got a shot away but opted instead to play it across for Ings who saw his effort saved.
But still, another home win and with QPR having lost at Leicester it meant we were top of the league for Christmas for the first time in twelve years.
Some Burnley fans rejoiced but it wasn't good enough for others. As I left the ground, walking behind me was one Burnley fan. He singled out the performance of Keith Treacy. "Rubbish," said of him, adding: "He did nothing all game". Treacy had come on as an 86th minute substitute.
Others enjoyed it and on the Monday I was in the town centre and heard a conversation between two more elderly Burnley fans. One asked the other: "Did you go on t'Blackpool match?" The reply came: "I did, and that Arfield is better than that Suarez at Liverpool." You heard it here first.
Paul Ince whinged as Paul Ince does. Apparently, according to him, we are nothing more than a long ball team. Maybe he should get to more games and then he might be able to form a better opinion.
His side lost again and he was merely looking for yet more feeble excuses. At least, for once, they kept eleven players on the pitch.
The teams were;
Burnley: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Dean Marney, David Jones, Michael Kightly (Keith Treacy 86), Danny Ings, Sam Vokes. Subs not used: Alex Cisak, Kevin Long, Danny Lafferty, David Edgar, Brian Stock, Junior Stanislas.
Yellow Cards: Kieran Trippier, Ben Mee.
Blackpool: Matt Gilks, Chris Basham, Craig Cathcart, Kirk Broadfoot, Jack Robinson, Tom Ince, Dan Gosling, Stephen Dobbie (Marvin Zeegelaar 78), Barry Ferguson, Neal Bishop, Steven Davies (Michael Chopra 69). Subs not used: Tony Warner, Tom Barkhuizen, Robert Harris, Tyler Blackett.
Yellow Card: Neal Bishop.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).
Attendance: 14,489.