EDDIE Howe’s wait for a birthday win in charge of Cherries continued after his former club Burnley claimed a deserved 2-1 victory at Vitality Stadium.

Chris Wood tapped in from close range eight minutes before the interval and a thumping second-half effort from Robbie Brady doubled the lead.

Cherries striker Joshua King bundled home late on but it did not prove enough, meaning boss Howe did not get the present he wanted upon turning 40 – three Premier League points.

Howe made one change to the side which had drawn 0-0 at Swansea City on Saturday, captain Simon Francis returning from a one-game suspension to replace Adam Smith at right-back.

Harry Arter made his 250th appearance in a Cherries shirt in the heart of midfield, while striker Jermain Defoe was selected on the bench following a calf problem.

Burnley came within a whisker of hitting the front inside four minutes.

Andrew Surman and Simon Francis had already cleared corners when Brady’s deep delivery found Ben Mee. The centre-back headed back across the face and Wood’s looping header bounced off the top of the bar and behind.

Brady then found the side netting after a penetrative run down the left side of the penalty area and Cherries appeared under the cosh.

However, the hosts then created several openings. First, Jordon Ibe had a strike charged down before Mee’s desperate challenge prevented Callum Wilson breaking clear with only keeper Nick Pope to beat.

King’s bulldozing charge forward ended with Ibe crossing into Pope’s arms. Time to pause for breath.

But not for long. In the 16th minute, Burnley’s summer signing Phil Bardsley swept in a cross from the right which Wood headed down into the turf, meaning Begovic had to be at full stretch to tip away from danger the rising ball.

Burnley continued to press and when Brady’s lofted free-kick ran loose, Johann Berg Gudmundsson shot weakly into the gloves of Begovic from range.

Cherries continued to live dangerously at the back and just short of the half hour, another nervy moment. New Zealand international Wood rampaged clear down the left and squared for Jeff Hendrick, only for Steve Cook to make an excellent block having eaten up plenty of ground.

Eight minutes before the break, Burnley took the lead they deserved. Steve Cook gave the ball away cheaply and Jack Cork found Brady on the left. His low cross squirmed under Steve Cook – who had manfully attempted to recover – and Wood instinctively tapped into the empty net.

The home fans let out a sigh of relief when Brady’s free-kick hit the wall, while centre-half James Tarkowski blocked a rasping drive from Arter at the other end.

Arter then returned the favour when he resisted Brady’s sizzling effort. Referee Roger East blew his whistle shortly after. Half-time.

Cherries began the second period with renewed urgency and King was inches away from slipping Surman in behind, the Norwegian international’s pass carrying a touch too much weight.

After that promising start, matters quietened. Boss Howe elected to end Arter’s 250th appearance for the club just short of the hour, replacing the former Woking man with Under-20 World Cup winner Lewis Cook.

The hosts’ first sight of goal in the second half came minutes later, Francis unable to grow enough at the back post and his header zipped wide of the right upright.

Howe threw on firepower in the form of Defoe, with Marc Pugh the man sacrificed. But moments later the lead was doubled. Ibe surrendered possession in midfield and Gudmundsson was not martialled closely enough on the right flank.

The Iceland star played inside for Brady, who shifted the ball to his right foot and thumped into the top-right corner. Begovic had little chance of stopping the shot.

With the game beginning to open up, Cork cracked an effort wide from range before Ryan Fraser entered the fray in place of Ibe. It was Cherries’ last throw of the dice.

Steven Defour was forced off after a tangle with King and with the game seemingly drifting away, Cherries earned a lifeline with 11 minutes left.

Francis’s right-wing cross was chested cleverly into the path of Defoe by Wilson and the England international’s square pass took a nick off the glove of Pope, allowing King to scramble into the roof of the net from several yards out.

For several minutes it was one-way traffic, although despite their pressure, the closest the home side came to an equaliser was when Fraser was off-target with a speculative effort from distance.

Ultimately, Burnley saw out five minutes of stoppage time in relative comfort.

MATCH FACTS

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Begovic; Francis, S Cook, Ake, Daniels; Ibe (Fraser, 69), Arter (L Cook, 58), Surman, Pugh (Defoe, 64); King; C Wilson.

Unused subs: A Smith, Gosling, Afobe, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: None.

Burnley (4-4-1-1): Pope; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Cork, Defour (Westwood, 75), Brady; Hendrick (Barnes, 86); Wood (Vokes, 90).

Unused subs: Taylor, Long, Arfield, Lindegaard (g/k).

Booked: None.

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).