ANDRE Gray continued his fine pre-season and Josh Ginnelly netted his first Burnley goal as the Clarets continued their Premier League preparations with a victory over Bolton.

These clubs met at this stadium in league action back in February but they have been on very different paths since then.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The Clarets come-from-behind victory five months ago, thanks to two Gray goals, was part of their 23-game unbeaten run to the Championship title and a top flight return, while Bolton were relegated and will play their football in League One next term.

Gray was among the goals again at the Macron Stadium with his penalty taking his tally to five in pre-season in just over 200 minutes of football.

His pace was a threat to the Wanderers backline throughout the first half, while his young striker partner Dan Agyei also showed some encouraging moments, with his pace and power particularly troublesome.

Aussie midfielder Aiden O’Neill also continued his impressive pre-season, playing the full 90 minutes in the centre and looking comfortable on the ball, with a desire to receive possession as often as possible.

Dyche’s squad came through the Macron test unscathed as well, which will be a positive after Ashley Barnes and Lukas Jutkiewicz both made early exits at Bradford on Saturday having felt twinges in their hamstring. They were rested here, while David Jones and Fredrik Ulvestad also sat out the action as they felt ill.

Sam Vokes was present, having returned to pre-season training yesterday, but he wasn’t involved, with the Wales international’s return to action likely to come at Rangers on Saturday. That game could also see Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s debut, and he was another interested onlooker.

Burnley twice tested Ben Amos from distance in the opening exchanges, with Scott Arfield’s deflected effort forcing the Wanderers keeper to concede a corner before he dived low to his left to hold Michael Kightly’s free-kick.

The Clarets took the lead on 16 minutes from the spot. Kightly came infield and played through Gray, who was brought down by David Wheater. The striker dusted himself down to send Amos the wrong way.

Bolton came close to a leveller just before the half hour with Tom Heaton tipping Jay Spearing’s 20-yard free-kick from the left edge of the penalty area onto the crossbar.

Gray could have made it two just before the break as he latched on to Stephen Ward’s ball into the left channel and turned Wheater inside and out before moving past the centre half, but his curling effort towards the far corner was saved by the legs of Amos.

Burnley made two changes at the break but Bolton were level within three minutes of the restart. Liam Trotter galloped free down the right and cut the ball back for Spearing who sent a 22-yard shot across goal and in off the far post.

The Clarets looked to respond and substitute George Boyd was into the action quickly, cutting in from the right and trying to curl an effort towards the far corner but Mark Howard was down to save.

Half-time substitute Chris Long, who replaced Gray, was next to test Howard but his angled drive was easily saved by the Wanderers goalkeeper, who was called into action again to hold Matt Lowton’s left-footed piledriver from outside the area.

Howard was seeing plenty of action now and Long again went close, turning on the edge of the area and rifling an effort goalwards, which the keeper punched away.

Paul Robinson came on to replace Heaton midway through the second half and his only save came in the closing minutes, diving low to turn Max Clayton’s effort round the post.

In the final minute Burnley won it when Robinson launched a clearance downfield which Rouwen Hennings helped on to Josh Ginnelly. The young winger saw his first effort blocked but recovered to drive a low shot into the far corner.