Burnley secured their second Premier League win of the season after edging past Stoke City 2-1 thanks to Danny Ings's first-half brace at the Britannia Stadium.
The England Under-21 striker's quickfire double before the quarter-hour mark shocked the Potters, who set about trying to reduce the deficit immediately.
The Clarets hung on desperately as Mark Hughes's charges struck back through Jonathan Walters and powered forward at every opportunity, but Sean Dyche's men were able to hang on for their second win on the bounce.
Here, Sports Mole looks back over the contest to determine whether the visitors were worthy victors.
Match statistics
Stoke
Shots: 25
On target: 4
Possession: 73%
Corners: 14
Fouls: 10
Burnley
Shots: 5
On target: 4
Possession: 27%
Corners: 0
Fouls: 9
Was the result fair?
In one word: no. Based on the balance of play, Stoke should have put a hatful past Burnley. The stats make for some interesting reading, as the hosts had nearly three times the amount of possession as their opponents, as well as forcing 14 corners and firing 25 shots towards goal. However, stats do not win games - goals do. And given that the Potters and the Clarets both had four shots on target each, it highlights how important it is to be clinical in front of goal.
Stoke City's performance
Mark Hughes will probably have a word with his defenders, because their lack of concentration in the first 13 minutes cost Stoke dear. They were split open twice in two minutes as Ings clinically bagged himself a brace. For the remainder of the game, the Potters back line was seldom involved as the forward players then pressed time and time again, but they were just not incisive enough, as the lack of shots that actually troubled Tom Heaton proved.
Burnley's performance
Never mind a win - the Clarets were lucky not to be on the receiving end of a hammering, and Dyche knows this. Except for the first quarter of an hour, when Stoke were effectively still in neutral, Burnley found themselves under siege, and were it not for the sheer toothlessness of the Potters and Heaton being solid when called upon, it could have been a wholly different game. Nevertheless, all three points were obtained against all odds, and this win can be built upon.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Tom Heaton: Although Ings scored the all-important goals to help Burnley secure the win, the Clarets goalkeeper was steadfast in between the sticks, commanding his area well and making good saves when called upon. He was unlucky with Walters's header for Stoke's sole goal.
Biggest gaffe
The two-minute spell when Stoke fell asleep at the back and gifted Ings a fairly easy brace, from which they never recovered. The game could have been theirs for the taking had the defence been more alert.
Referee performance
It was a fairly routine performance from Martin Atkinson, with virtually no controversy coming from his part during the game. The only important decisions he had to make were when Victor Moses took a tumble just before the end of the first half - which was rightfully waved away - and when Mame Biram Diouf appeared to handle the ball just before the hour, but this also seemed correct.
What next?
Stoke City: The Potters, currently 10th in the Premier League table, head to Anfield to take on Liverpool next Saturday.
Burnley: The Clarets, who climb off the foot of the table following their win, host Aston Villa next Saturday.
Giuseppe Labellarte
