AFTER a quiet spell over Christmas, when an Angell presumably has more pressing matters to attend to, big Brett resumed normal service to subject Burnley to more away-day misery.

Headed goals (what else) in each half from the on-loan striker revived Notts County's play-off aspirations after a faltering run, while placing further question marks over the Clarets' end-of-season prospects.

A top-six slot still looks well within their grasp, but any hopes of automatic promotion will be snuffed out if they can't quickly find a winning formula away from Turf Moor.

On a day when Wigan and Preston were again picking up three points on their travels to establish an ominous breakaway at the top of the table, Burnley were chalking up their fifth away game without a victory.

And, of greater concern, is the fact that the steady accumulation of points from hard-fought draws has started to dry up after back-to-back away defeats, the latest one confirmed by Andy Payton's penalty miss 19 minutes from the end.

There were mitigating circumstances around the Boxing Day subsidence at Gigg Lane, where Paul Cook, Mitchell Thomas and, for 80 minutes, Steve Davis were absent.

But at Meadow Lane, manager Stan Ternent was able to name his near first-choice line-up with only Gordon Armstrong not available through suspension.

Ternent's confession afterwards that his side was second best suggests, therefore, that he needs too freshen things up a bit either from within his existing squad or with the introduction of a new face if possible.

Changing the tactics didn't do the trick against a no-nonsense County side and watching Coventry City boss Gordon Strachan will have slept fairly soundly last night as he contemplates the Clarets' visit to Highfield Road in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Armstrong, a foot injury permitting, will be available again for the fourth-round tie and Burnley need to re-introduce a specialist left-back.

Tom Cowan appears to be well down the pecking order and with Paul Smith left to ease his way back from injury on the bench, Graham Branch got the nod again in that position yesterday.

He was seemingly given a licence to get forward with Burnley adopting a diamond-type formation in midfield, which at least allowed Glen Little to return to the right side, but looked inhibited early on.

With Micky Mellon playing a narrow role on the left, in front of Paul Cook and behind John Mullin, the Clarets therefore lacked width on that flank, until Branch was released from most of his defensive duties and detailed to push on and run at the County defence.

By then, however, Burnley were behind, although Branch was unlucky not to be awarded a foul when Craig Ramage was allowed to cross for Angell to stoop at the near post and make it 1-0 with his first goal since scoring a hat-trick on his debut more than three weeks ago.

Ten minutes later it was almost two when the impressive Mark Stallard sent a delightful chip against the cross bar as County looked dangerous on the break.

But Burnley were also a threat in attack, even though some of their best moments ended with a final ball too close to goalkeeper Darren Ward and they lacked a killer instinct around the box.

Little delivered some teasing crosses from the right which brought no joy, while Payton headed at Ward and Steve Davis was denied an equaliser by the woodwork on the stroke of half-time when he headed a Little corner against the angle of post and bar.

The Clarets continued to press after the interval but couldn't translate their best spell into a goal as Gary Owers thwarted Payton from Mellon's knock-down and Mellon's two barnstorming runs and crosses down the left then met with no reward.

And with their miserly streak having deserted them, Burnley currently look susceptible to conceding the kind of goal that finished them off here.

Previously balls into the box have been meat and drink to the Clarets' defence but whereas Andy Preece made hay eight days earlier, Angell lost his marker from Owers' free-kick to head past Crichton from eight yards with just over an hour gone.

From 2-0 down it was hard to see a way back for Burnley but they responded well and it took an excellent double save from Ward to deny Branch and then Mullin before Peter Swan was thrown on as an extra striker.

The County keeper then excelled himself again when stopping Payton's penalty, awarded after Mullin had tumbled in the box, which was driven firmly but too near the middle of the goal where Ward's trailing hand beat the ball away.

And the Clarets then fell away badly as they lost direction in a vain attempt to get back into the game.

Often caught short at the back as they were forced to gamble on all-out attack, Burnley could have been made to pay.

But Angell presumably has no more room at home for match-balls as he passed up the chance of a straight-forward hat-trick when opting to pass rather than continue unchecked right up to Paul Crichton's goal. QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"That was a totally unacceptable performance by our standards." - Stan Ternent

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.