DANNY Ings ended his Burnley career with a goal as the Clarets won their final match in the Premier League at Aston Villa.

The Clarets’ relegation was confirmed two weeks ago but they signed off with a second consecutive away victory – again secured thanks to a solitary Ings goal, to follow up the recent win at Hull.

The striker, who was playing his final game for Burnley before his contract expires in the summer, headed home early on to confirm that it would be QPR rather than the Clarets who would finish bottom of the table.

Ings needed only six minutes to put Burnley in front as the Clarets notched a goal from the rare method of three consecutive headers.

Fredrik Ulvestad, making his full debut for the club, headed the ball back into the box after Villa had failed to clear and Ashley Barnes then nodded it across the face of goal for Ings to send a looping header over Jed Steer into the far corner.

Burnley had a scare when Villa centre back Ron Vlaar directed a half volley just off target from inside the box, although Ings could have made it 2-0 as he fired over from a good position after good work from George Boyd on the right.

The Clarets then lost Barnes to injury, replaced by Sam Vokes, before Christian Benteke had two attempts on goal for the hosts – seeing his first effort deflected just wide, then having a header saved by Tom Heaton.

Villa ended the half strongly and it was Ashley Westwood who had two efforts before the interval, first firing over from 20 yards, before having a shot tipped over by Heaton.

Heaton, celebrating his first call-up to the England squad, was on hand again to make a good save from Gabriel Agbonlahor just after the hour mark.

But Burnley were threatening a second goal too and Boyd was denied by Steer after Ings had played a clever through ball to the wide man.

Sean Dyche’s side required the goalkeeping skills of Heaton twice more though, as the shot stopped palmed away Fabian Delph’s 20-yard effort before tipping over a fierce angled drive from Charles N’Zogbia.

Delph sent a 25-yard daisy-cutter inches wide late on but Villa could not do enough to find an equaliser.

Burnley: Tom Heaton; Kieran Trippier, Michael Keane, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee; George Boyd, Fredrik Ulvestad (Matt Taylor 65), David Jones, Scott Arfield; Danny Ings (Steven Reid 87), Ashley Barnes (Sam Vokes 34). Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Michael Duff, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Aston Villa: Jed Steer; Leandro Bacuna (Alan Hutton 80), Ron Vlaar, Nathan Baker, Charles N’Zogbia; Tom Cleverley (Scott Sinclair 72), Ashley Westwood, Fabian Delph, Jack Grealish; Gabriel Agbonlahor, Christian Benteke. Subs not used: Brad Guzan, Andre Green, Carlos Sanchez, Callum Robinson, Andreas Weimann.

Referee: Mike Jones.

Attendance: 40,792.