BURNLEY opened up a three-point gap in second place in the Championship with a 1-0 win over Bolton tonight, after Sam Vokes took his partnership with Danny Ings to 40 goals.

The striker's 16th goal of the season proved enough to clinch it for the Clarets, who had a pre-match boost by QPR missing the chance to go back above them with Monday night's defeat at Derby County.

Bolton had the better of the first half, responding well to losing a two-goal lead at home to Bournemouth to be held to their ninth home draw.

But there appeared to be only one winner once Vokes side-footed in Scott Arfield's cross from close range.

And that proved to be the case as the Clarets backed up Saturday's win over Millwall with three more points - their first win away to Bolton in almost 29 years.

Manager Sean Dyche said: “In the first half it was a more balanced affair, but in the second, apart from the last seven or eight minutes when the long stuff starts coming in as you chase the game, I felt we deserved it.

“That’s another mini-marker in history tonight because there was a lot of noise about us not having won at Bolton for 30 years.

“They are only markers and a bit of fuel for the players, but we have laid down a good mentality this year to bin all of those things.

“The past can’t make the future what it is. Only we can do that."