Bournemouth booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history as Sam Surridge’s tap-in and a Junior Stanislas penalty secured a 2-0 win at a much-changed Burnley.
Surridge had a simple finish midway through the first half before he was upended late on, with Stanislas converting the resulting spot-kick, as the Cherries reached the sixth round for the first time since the 1956-57 campaign.
Jay Rodriguez spurned a gilt-edged chance to level in the second half, missing the target from six yards, on a bitterly cold night at Turf Moor, where Burnley almost blundered by initially putting Erik Pieters in their starting line-up before he was withdrawn after they were apparently notified of his suspension for this game.
Pieters’ withdrawal meant there were eight changes to the side that drew against Brighton in the Premier League, and they were outshone by a Bournemouth outfit who have now won both games under caretaker manager Jonathan Woodgate.
There was no Jack Wilshere for the Sky Bet Championship side, but they still had enough quality to see off Burnley, whose wait for a last-eight appearance in this competition stands at 18 years.
Only wingers Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Dwight McNeil and forward Matej Vydra kept their spots for Burnley, who announced shortly before kick-off an “administrative error” had led to Pieters being removed from the line-up.
It transpired Pieters was suspended for this fixture, having earned yellow cards in their wins over MK Dons and Fulham in the previous rounds, with Burnley seemingly made aware of the fact after the teams had been released.
The Dutch full-back’s place went to 21-year-old Anthony Driscoll-Glennon, who was caught out by Jack Stacey midway through the first half as Bournemouth, who made six changes to their line-up, went ahead.
Defences were on top early on but a swift attack down Burnley’s left-hand side led to David Brooks passing to the overlapping Stacey and his square ball left Surridge with a simple tap-in into an empty net.
Burnley’s appeals for offside were in vain while the hosts were fortunate not to fall further behind, with goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell making an excellent save after Dale Stephens unknowingly directed a header towards goal from a corner.
Philip Billing went down in the area under Kevin Long’s challenge but was told to get to his feet towards the end of a half where chances were at a premium, with Burnley unable to muster a shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
That was quickly remedied shortly after half-time as Vydra’s shot from a narrow angle forced Asmir Begovic to save at his near post, while the visiting goalkeeper pushed away McNeil’s 25-yard effort despite being unsighted.
Burnley should have levelled just before the hour when the adventurous Long’s cross was misdirected by Vydra into the path of Rodriguez, who blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
Phil Bardsley shot through a cluster of players and just wide of Begovic’s post as Burnley’s spell of pressure continued to go unrewarded on a night punctuated by gentle snowfall.
Bournemouth made the game safe two minutes from time when Long tripped the onrushing Surridge in the area, with Stanislas confidently dispatching the penalty.
