Sean Dyche Burnley
Burnley boss Sean Dyche hailed four-goal striker Jay Rodriguez after his side’s 4-1 Carabao Cup win at Turf Moor against Rochdale. Rodriguez scored all the Clarets’ goals in a 12-minute second-half blitz after Dale striker Jake Beesley had given the visitors a shock lead in the third-round tie.
Sean Dyche said: “Jay has looked sharp, particularly second half. First half, his movement was good and he didn’t quite find a chance. Second half, he spent more time in the middle of the pitch and the box and was effective, so I’m pleased for him.”
Rodriguez headed home Maxwel Cornet’s corner three minutes after Beesley had given Dale a second-half lead, then slammed home a right-footed shot before heading home Ashley Westwood’s cross at the near post. The former West Brom man notched his fourth from a rebound after Aaron Lennon’s cross had ricocheted off unlucky Dale defender Eoghan O’Connell.
Sean Dyche added: “He has come back from pre-season really fit and has obviously looked after himself. I have said all along I believe in all the strikers.”
It was the Clarets’ first home win in 15 matches, stretching back to January, and a first encounter between the two sides in 28 years.
Sean Dyche said: “Without over-egging it I thought it was job done from the beginning. We started really bright and we created loads of chances, which is pleasing but not so pleasing we didn’t take them. In the second half I thought we were strong again and did take the chances, so it was a thorough performance I thought.”
Summer signing Cornet could have scored a first-half hat-trick but was twice denied by Dale goalkeeper Jay Lynch and dragged another effort wide.
Sean Dyche added: “Some of his runs and movement was very good and he got himself five or six chances, which is pleasing from a wide area. He stretches the pitch as well, which we still want our wide players to do and he does that naturally.”
Dyche’s men are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they head to the Midlands to take on Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City (KO 3pm).
