PAUL CRICHTON is hoping to be £5 richer tonight by keeping another clean sheet and helping Burnley bank the points against Bournemouth.

The Clarets keeper struck a wager with club chief scout Cliff Roberts at the start of the season with Crichton being quids in each time he records a shut-out.

"I've got a little bet going with Cliff, £5 a time, but if these referees keep doing what they're doing it's going to cost me a fortune!" explained Crichton, who has been hit in the pocket by dubious penalties awarded to both Chesterfield and Bristol Rovers.

"But if I can get 10-15 clean sheets this year we've got a chance of being near the top," he added.

"We're defending well, everyone is, I can't just pick people out.

"Especially after last year, when we let a lot of goals in, it's nice that we can actually keep a one-goal lead and win games with it now.

"Everyone's got a confidence. We are working hard in training and we've got an understanding throughout the team now with set-plays and corners and I think it's showing."

Crichton has conceded only one goal from open play in five League games so far behind a solid defence that has plugged the leaks of last season.

Steve Davis is pressing for a recall at Turf Moor tonight but whoever plays will face a stern test against Bournemouth's prolific front pair of Mark Stein and Steve Fletcher. However, Crichton, who conceded five goals to the Cherries in his first game after signing for Burnley on a permanent basis, has plenty of faith in the players in front of him, and in his own ability, as the Clarets bid to stay among the early-season pacesetters.

"They (Stein and Fletcher) are good but our defence is playing well and I think I'll back our defence," he said.

"It's nice to start the season quite well. I know there's a lot of room for improvement but if I can play well it breeds confidence through the team and if the team are doing well we're going to win."

Crichton, as good a shot-stopper as any other keeper playing at this level, has worked hard on coming for crosses and improving his kicking, which has looked in good shape in the past couple of games.

And he is sure to have a key role in helping Burnley try and put together another successful run after their 15-match unbeaten record was broken in controversial circumstances with a Jamie Cureton spot-kick at Bristol on Monday.

"It was very disappointing the way it ended. We didn't play the best, we know that, but it was always going to be a 0-0," he said.

"There were only three or four shots in the whole game I think.

"We're not happy with the way it's gone down but we've had a good run and it starts again tonight.

"If we can build up another 15 it's a great start to the season."

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