Chris Wood was back among the goals and Burnley’s two summer signings made their debuts in a hard-fought win over Fulham in Portugal.

The Clarets wound-up their week-long training camp on the Algarve with a behind-closed doors friendly against Scott Parker’s Championship side.

And it was Wood, who scored 13 times last season, who settled a tight affair from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time to round off a solid week's work.

There were positives all round for Sean Dyche, who gave Jay Rodriguez and Erik Pieters their debuts in eye-catching 45-minute run-outs.

Rodriguez side.JPG

And there was almost a dream start to Rodriguez’s second spell with the club, following his summer move from West Bromwich Albion.

The 29-year-old striker, who flew into the Portuguese training base earlier in the week, had the ball in the Cottagers’ net within three minutes of the kick-off, firmly heading home Robbie Brady’s delightful free kick, only to be flagged marginally offside.

At the other end, a typical Ben Mee block denied Joe Bryan following a sweeping move down the left by the Cottagers.

Burnley were enjoying good possession, with Pieters seeing plenty of the ball and looking to get forward at every opportunity to support Brady down the left.

But chances were at a premium for both sides before, on the half hour mark, Nick Pope saved comfortably from Luca de la Torre as Fulham again carved out an opening.

Josh Benson, who had an industrious opening half in a central role, moved out to the left of midfield for the start of the second half, with Burnley making 10 changes.

Jimmy Dunne operated at left back, with Dwight McNeil filling a central midfield role alongside Jack Cork and last season’s profitable strike pairing of Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood reunited up front.

However, it was Fulham who had the first clear-cut opening of the half, with Joe Hart getting down well to deny Kebano.

Jack Cork saw his volley from the edge of the box deflected wide as Burnley raised the tempo.

And in the 70th minute the Clarets finally made the breakthrough.

McNeil floated a free kick deep towards Ben Gibson, who felt the force of a kick to the chest from substitute Cyrus Christie in the box.

The referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot and Wood made no mistake.

The New Zealander almost added a second five minutes from time, heading against the face of the crossbar as Jimmy Dunne recycled a deep corner with a firm header back across goal.

But Burnley had done enough to round off their week with a victory that sent them back home in good spirits.

Burnley (1st half): Pope, Bardsley, Mee, Long, Pieters, Gudmundsson, Westwood, Benson, Hendrick, Rodriguez.
(2nd half): Hart, Lowton, Tarkowski, Gibson, Dunne, Lennon, Cork, McNeil, Benson (Vydra 65), Barnes, Wood.

Fulham: Bettinelli (Fabri 63), S Sessegnon (Christie 63), Mawson (Odoi 63), Le Marchand (Opoku 63), Bryan (Mundle-Smith 66), McDonald (O’Riley HT), de la Torre (Johansen HT), Cairney (Edun 63), Kebano (Francois 63), Rui Fonte (Mitrovic 63), Kamara (Ayité HT).

POS	Team	PL	PTS
10	MC	2	3
11	BUR	3	3
12	BRE	3	3

POS	Team	PL	PTS
10	MC	2	3
11	BUR	3	3
12	BRE	3	3

Burnley 1 Fulham 0

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