Back on the Ball!

BETTER late than never, brilliant Burnley saved the best until last to end their derby-day jinx.

Having taken just one point from their first five local skirmishes of the season, the Clarets signed off with a comprehensive defeat of play-off chasing Preston.

And to make their biggest victory of the campaign taste even sweeter, it helped blur the memory of that five-goal beating by Blackburn just five days earlier.

"It was very important that we bounced back from the defeat against Blackburn positively and I thought we did that," said Kevin Ball, who, on a night of firsts, also opened his goal-scoring account for the club with the crucial second a minute before half-time.

"I don't think we should under-estimate what a good peformance it was. I think Preston are a good side but I thought we got at it very early in the game.

"It was a tremendous goal from Ian Moore and I thought the second one was obviously a lot better, although I can't remember who scored that one!

"It was nice to get the second then we got the third with a tremendous finish again from Glen Little and we could have had a fourth. Admittedly they did have a little bit of possession but overall I thought we played very well and it was a tremendous reaction to last Sunday. "It was great to see Westy come in at right-back and do so well and overall it was really pleasing to be able to put a smile back on the face of the supporters. That was the most important thing."

Dean West stepped forward for the shadows to enjoy a magnificent first outing of the season in place of Mitchell Thomas, who was nursing a back injury, and the enthusiasm and endeavour of the little right-back was repeated throughout the Burnley side.

The passion and fire in their bellies that went missing in the second half at Ewood Park was too much for a Preston side whose play-off charge was halted in its tracks once Moore -- a one-time North End target -- had fired the Clarets ahead inside three minutes with a wonderfully executed goal.

Fittingly West started the move before feeding Glen Little who was at his impish best, breezing past Paul McKenna to cross for Moore who darted in at the near post to claim his first goal since scoring against Fulham eight games previously. That set the tone for Burnley's night as they were tigerish in the tackle, epitomsied by Ball and Paul Weller in a central midfield role, and solid at the back.

Where they had been ripped apart by Rovers, Burnley, playing this time with a back four, gave not an inch against Preston.

And despite some decent possession after half-time and a good chance for subtitute Ian Anderson, North End never once forced Nik Michopoulos into a meaningful save.

The visitors had played with three up front before half-time but the much-vaunted trio of Jon Macken, Richard Cresswell and David Healy made little impression. Burnley made their numerical advantage count in midfield with Little making the most of his freedom on the right flank and at times Preston were hanging on grimly at the back.

North End lost goalkeeper Tepi Moilanen with an ankle injury after half-an-hour following a late challenge by Gareth Taylor and 14 minutes later David Lucas was picking the ball out of the net as the Clarets went two-up.

Lucas actually made a stunning double save to deny Taylor and then Ball following an excellent cross by West. But he was powerless to stop Ball scoring from the second rebound to give Burnley a deserved and welcome cushion.

"It's been a long while in coming and I bet the missus had a scream when he saved the first one," Ball added. "She wasn't the only one but when it came back I thought 'good I've scored now, that'll do' and Paul Weller was laughing his head off saying 'was that really you that scored?'

"It was nice to get my first goal but the main thing was that we got a decent performance and a tremendous win. It's nice for Kevin Ball to get on the scoresheet but what's important is that Burnley Football Club got a derby win and restored a bit of pride."

Preston switched to match Burnley's 4-4-2 after the break and with Anderson on the left flank they looked more potent.

The Scot lifted a shot over the top after 57 minutes and then again 10 minutes later as Burnley were forced back. But manager Stan Ternent responded by strengthening his midfield further with the introduction of John Mullin.

The added bonus was Mullin's pace on the break and he played a key role in Burnley's clincher courtesy of Little 17 minutes from time. From Mullin's pull-back the industrious Paul Cook whipped the ball over and when it broke on the edge of the box there was Little to lash home the loose ball. The winger's previous goal had come in the win over champions-elect Fulham and Burnley could do worse than kick off all their games in the evening.

The floodlights seem to bring the best out of them, although Taylor was unable to add the gloss to a superb night's work when he dragged a shot wide with just Lucas to beat 60 seconds after Little had ended that derby hoodoo.