BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe has called for a repeat performance on and off the pitch as the Clarets bid to close the gap on sixth-placed Leeds with their game in hand tonight.

Howe described the atmosphere generated for Saturday’s visit of Swansea as the best he has experienced since arriving at Turf Moor in January.

And he believes it was no coincidence that they went on to record their first win in seven attempts.

Combined with the character to recover from conceding early in the second half, Howe believes they have found a recipe for success.

And it’s one he hopes to serve up in the remaining five games.

“It’s a massive time for us and the fans will play such a huge part in staying with the lads,” said Howe ahead of tonight’s game against Middlesbrough at Turf Moor.

“I thought they did that on Saturday, even at 1-0 down. I thought the fans really stuck with the players and I know they appreciated that. We certainly do.

“Whether it was a combination of Grezza’s achievement as well ... I thought it was a great end to the game, a fantastic atmosphere and if we can regenerate that for every home game from now to the end of the season I think it will give us a huge lift.

“The fans can make such a difference in terms of generating an atmosphere that is uncomfortable for the away side.

“Our home form’s been pretty consistent all season.

“I’d like to think we could finish the season off in style and hopefully the fans will enjoy what they see.”

He added: “It would have been easy at 1-0 down to let the heads drop. We have done that occasionally when we’ve been behind. But I thought this time we rolled our sleeves up and decided to have a go, and I think that was the most pleasing thing.

“If you have that never-say-die spirit and you never know when you’re beaten you’ll end up surprising yourself in just what you can achieve.

“I think the crowd saw that as well.

“It was great to come back from a goal down and win the game. I know the team’s done it quite frequently this season and that is a special quality.”

But while Howe drew great encouragement from Burnley’s response to going a goal down early in the second half, he would rather set precedents in games.

“It’s a confidence booster for us, but in an ideal world we’d like to start taking the lead on teams and doing it the other way,” said the 33-year-old, whose side have now earned 26 points from losing positions.

“I think we are going to need that character.

“It’s been a long season, the players at all clubs have had ups and downs.

“There are only five games to go and I’m sure there’ll be ups and downs in those and we've got to make sure we stick together like we did.

“Full credit to the players, they didn’t let the season peter out and they found another gear from somewhere on Saturday.

“But we have to attack and be brave (against Middlesbrough) and try to be positive. I’d love to see us putting balls in their box and really starting on the front foot.

“We want to come out fighting.”

And Howe hopes their quest for points will give them the edge against a Middlesbrough team that have been left with little but pride to play after becoming all but mathematically safe thanks to a run of seven games without defeat.

“Teams like that are dangerous. They can come here and relax and play and sometimes the team with the pressure on them can struggle,” said Howe, for whom a 3-0 home defeat to lowly Ipswich will be fresh in his mind.

“I’d like to think we could use that to our advantage and show that we are desperate for the points.

“We need to show that intensity, that fight and that togetherness.”

He added: “Anyone can struggle in this division because there are so many teams fighting for the same prize it only takes a bad run of form, a couple of injuries and you can be affected. It’s a lesson for everybody.

“We need to make sure we’re as well prepared as we can be because every game in this league is very difficult. The table shows you that with how close the teams are.

“Middlesbrough have been scoring goals lately so we’re well aware of their threats.

“We need to make sure first and foremost that we perform and we show the same intensity and character that we did on Saturday because, I wouldn’t say it was the first time I’ve seen it, but it was really, really good to see.

"The lads were all fighting for each other.”