BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche has hailed Ashley Barnes for his important goals since joining the club last January.

Barnes might have scored just five goals in 35 appearances, 17 of which have come off the bench, but every one of his strikes has been absolutely crucial.

This season he has twice scored the goal in 1-0 wins for the Clarets, over Hull City and Southampton at Turf Moor.

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Since he joined the club every one of his goals has been the first goal in a Burnley win where they have kept a clean sheet, including the goal against Wigan that secured promotion to the Premier League on Easter Monday.

His first goal for the club was the opener in the 3-0 win at Charlton on March 22, and then he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Barnsley in April.

Dyche has praised the 25-year-old for his habit of coming up with those all important goals.

"It's a nice habit for strikers to get any goals but obviously the ones that turn a game for you or win you a game are very important,” said the Burnley manager.

“We're happy he's done that. He knows the demand of the group and he knows that he's got to stay at the top of his game because we've got a group of strikers who think they've given us a lot this season.”

Barnes was signed for £750,000 in the last January transfer window to provide support and competition for Danny Ings and Sam Vokes.

In the summer he saw the club sign Lukas Jutkiewicz and Marvin Sordell to add even more competition for places in attack.

He watched Jutkiewicz start the season ahead of him in the pecking order, but he has now started the last six games alongside Danny Ings, a run which has seen Burnley take 11 points.

It’s been a meteoric rise from his days playing for Paulton Rovers in the Southern League Division One South and West, and Dyche thinks that journey to the top is helping Barnes.

"He certainly has the freedom that I speak about because his journey hasn't been the norm for a footballer,” said Dyche.

“He's dug it out in the lower leagues and he's slowly progressed through the divisions with Brighton.

“He came here and had a big impact at the end of last season and he ensured that the job was finished in getting out of the Championship and getting in to the Premier League.

“He's had to bide his time but he's come back in and given everything for the side so far and nicked himself a couple of important goals for us in two 1-0 wins.”

As well as goals Barnes has helped the Clarets rediscover their pressing game from last season and his workrate since his return to the side has been exceptional.

His partnership with Ings has proved the most fruitful of the combinations Dyche has tried in attack this season and the manager believes Barnes offers a different threat to defences than more conventional front men.

"He works ever so hard,” said Dyche.

“He's a different weapon for some of these Premier League centre halves. He's an awkward customer but he's got some quality, we feel he's got goals in him and he's showing that.”