TURF Moor has held the key for Burnley this season and it was another gritty home win that considerably eased the pressure on the Clarets.

A seven-game run without a win in the Premier League had seen Burnley’s 10-point lead over the bottom three cut in half.

But just as Sean Dyche’s side were beginning to look over their shoulders for fear of being dragged into a relegation battle they looked set to avoid a couple of months ago, they edged out another vital victory in front of their own fans.

The 1-0 win over Stoke City was a 10th home success of the campaign in the Premier League and moved the Clarets past the 33 points they accumulated two seasons ago.

Dyche said on Monday that that would be a significant sign of progress for his side and doing it with seven games still to go puts them within touching distance of safety.

It’s so close now.

There was a tension in the air in an opening 45 minutes that was low on goalmouth action. Everyone knew how important this could be come the end of the season.

But in a scrappy affair it was a moment of real quality from Jeff Hendrick early in the second half that allowed Turf Moor to breath a sigh of relief.

In the first period Ben Mee sent a header back across goal from

a Steven Defour free-kick, with the Belgian back in the side for Scott Arfield, while Andre Gray almost capitalised on a Bruno Martins Indi mistake but saw

his shot blocked by the Dutch

defender as he tried to get back in.

It was from a Burnley corner that the best chance of the half arrived, but it was a counter attack from the visitors after Defour’s wayward delivery to the edge of the box ceded possession.

Saido Berahino timed his

pass for Marko Arnautovic perfectly but the Austrian took a heavy touch as he bore down on Tom Heaton and the chance was gone.

Other than that it was a test of handling for Heaton in the first half and one he passed with flying colours.

He collected a low Charlie Adam header from an Arnautovic corner and then held a drive from the same player late in the half.

Adam screwed another half-chance wide early in the second half before Arnautovic nodded past the post after the ball had skimmed off Michael Keane’s head.

Burnley’s sights of goal had been rare and when Hendrick collected the ball on the left hand side 35 yards from goal there seemed little on.

It was a heavy touch from substitute Robbie Brady that had given possession to Hendrick, but

he showed quick feet to weave past a couple of challenges and into the area before squaring for Boyd, who swept home from 10 yards as he made the run across goal.

The confidence seemed to return to Burnley after the goal but chances remained thin on the ground, with Ashley Barnes sliding an effort over from a Brady cut back.

But at the other end they remained defensively solid as Stoke brought on Peter Crouch to offer an aerial threat.

The arrival of six minutes injury time brought gasps from Turf Moor.

But Burnley saw it through comfortably and they can sleep a little easier again thanks to those home comforts.