BURNLEY took on the role of party poopers as the away day experts wrecked Eddie Howe’s 40th birthday on the south coast.

They say life begins at 40, but for the Clarets life can hardly get better at the moment.

On a night where they ran rings around a previously in-form Bournemouth side the travelling Clarets fans, who had made this monstrous midweek journey in their numbers, belted out ‘we’re all going on a European tour’.

It’s becoming a less fanciful thought by the week. Goals from Chris Wood and Robbie Brady sent Sean Dyche’s men up to sixth in the Premier League table, ahead of Tottenham.

Burnley’s transformation on the road has been incredible. The Christmas trees are yet to go up and the tinsel remains in the loft, but already the Clarets have doubled the number of points they collected away from Turf Moor last term, and the current total of 14 is the highest they’ve gathered in the top flight since 1972/73.

This side have become away day masters. Just as at Goodison Park and St Mary’s in their last wins away from home Burnley gradually took the sting out of the game at Bournemouth, silencing the home fans before imposing themselves on the contest.

Dyche was forced into a first change in the back four for the first time this season, with injury keeping Matt Lowton at home and Phil Bardsley coming in for his seventh league start for the Clarets, 4,245 days since his last when he was on loan at Burnley.

It was a bright start from the Clarets on a freezing night with three corners inside the first three minutes, the last of which saw Ben Mee head back across goal and Chris Wood loop a header against the top of the crossbar.

Burnley were again playing some excellent football and a free-flowing move that saw the ball worked from left to right ended with Bardsley’s cross being headed into the ground by Wood and Asmir Begovic tipping it over the crossbar.

The chances were falling Burnley’s way and just before the half hour Robbie Brady sent Wood away down the left, with the striker laying it across the box for Jeff Hendrick but his low effort was blocked by a sliding Simon Cook.

The breakthrough that had looked a matter of time arrived before the break. Brady was heavily involved, eventually cutting inside from the left to hit a shot which deflected off Steve Cook and fell to Wood, who couldn’t miss from six yards out.

Bournemouth simply couldn’t disrupt Burnley’s control as they sought a way back into the game and just after the hour mark it was the Clarets who struck again. Johann Berg Gudmundsson drove infield and found Brady on the edge of the box. He worked a yard of space on his right foot before sending a rocket past Begovic.

Burnley were beginning to enjoy themselves, with Jack Cork stealing possession before firing a 25-yard shot narrowly wide.

But just as it looked like the Clarets were going to cruise to success Bournemouth brought the game back to life.

Callum Wilson chested a cross down to substitute Jermain Defoe and Nick Pope could only parry his cross-shot to Josh King, who finished from close range at the back post.

The goal brought the Cherries back to life, with Ryan Fraser flashing a shot wide before Defoe sent a backheel flick over the bar, but they couldn’t find the equaliser.