BURNLEY maintained their grip on seventh place with a routine victory over Swansea City at Turf Moor.

Goals from Jack Cork, against his former club, and Ashley Barnes sent the Clarets to a third successive top flight win for the first time in almost 43 years.

And it was yet another shutout for the back four and Nick Pope as Burnley kept a sixth clean sheet in their last nine Premier League outings.

The win opened up a seven-point gap on the chasing pack for the Clarets and they are now more than halfway to that crucial 40-point milestone.

Matt Lowton almost volleyed Swansea into a lead inside 10 minutes as his clearance from a Jordan Ayew cross flew just wide of Nick Pope’s goal, with the Clarets ‘keeper stood still.

That was close as it got for the visitors. Having narrowly avoided putting through their own net Burnley then piled the pressure on at the other end.

Swansea almost played themselves into trouble, with Lukasz Fabianski’s clearance from a returned pass out only finding Steven Defour, but his 35-yard volley lacked power and the Pole was back in his goal to field.

Fabianski was forced into a tougher save two minutes later as he pushed Defour’s rasping drive away, with Jeff Hendrick’s volleyed rebound deflected wide.

Fabianski was involved again moments later, pushing Barnes’ header away on the line as the striker looked to convert Matt Lowton’s cross.

The pressure was rewarded with a goal just before the half hour mark. Cork was influential in it, showing composure in midfield to step away from Kyle Naughton and drive forward before playing a reverse pass for Barnes, who laid it out to Robbie Brady. He sent in a first time cross which Cork headed home from close range, having continued his run forward.

It was two before the break and the abject Swans played a part in their own downfall. Sam Clucas, who was a target for Burnley in the summer, was dispossessed by Defour who immediately found Hendrick in space, he moved the ball on to Barnes on the edge of the box and the striker took one touch before firing an unstoppable half-volley past Fabianski.

It could have been three for the Clarets early in the second half as Pope’s clearance missed everyone and bounced through to Hendrick, but he couldn’t lift his effort over Fabianski.

Swansea had introduced Wilfried Bony at half-time and there were signs of a minor revival, with the striker’s pass finding Tammy Abraham, only for James Tarkowski to make the block, before Abraham returned the favour but Bony skied his shot.

Burnley had the game under control as the clock ticked down and could have made it three when Barnes and substitute Sam Vokes led a counter, only for the former’s pass to force Vokes to halt his run and his shot was blocked.