BURNLEY ended 2018 on a much-needed high thanks to first-half goals from Chris Wood and Dwight McNeil, and a clean sheet for returning goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche made five changes to the team which was well beaten by Everton on Boxing Day, with Heaton replacing Joe Hart in goal and McNeil coming in for Jeff Hendrick, while Chris Wood, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Phil Bardsley replaced Sam Vokes, Ben Gibson and the suspended Matt Lowton to complete the quintet.

And the alterations had the desired effect as Burnley lifted the gloom of a run of nine defeats in their previous 11 games to get back to winning ways before the turn of the year.

Wood struck first on 15 minutes, at the end of a move that was sparked by Heaton.

A West Ham attack had broken down with Heaton heading the ball out to Ashley Westwood from the edge of his box. Burnley broke through midfield, resulting in Westwood crossing for Ashley Barnes to head down and Wood to drive past Lukasz Fabianski.

The Clarets had chances to add to their lead but had to wait until the 37th minute for their second.

McNeil was unlucky not to connect better with an ambitious volley but Johann Berg Gudmundsson kept the ball alive and it was eventually returned to the youngster to score his first for the club, and become the first teenager to score a Premier League goal for the Clarets.

Burnley had chances to make the scoreline more comfortable in the second half, but were not as clinical as they had been in the first.

At the other end, Heaton had barely been troubled all game but preserved the clean sheet with a stunning save to deny a header from half-time substitute Andy Carroll.