BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe labelled Martin Paterson a “guiding light” after his first league goal in over a year handed the Clarets a Boxing Day boost.

The striker has been best by injuries for the last two seasons, but celebrated his return by contri-buting to their 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers yesterday.

Paterson missed the first four months of the season after tearing a thigh muscle on the opening day – the same injury that ruled him out for much of last season.

But the 24-year-old has bounced back to help push Burnley to within three points of the play-offs going into their final game of 2011.

“I thought he was very good,” said Howe.

“He’s deserved to be fit because he’s worked extremely hard. He’s been a fantastic professional all the time he’s been injured. He’s really led by example and I can’t speak highly enough of him.

“It is soul destroying when you re-injure the same part of your leg, you get despondent, but he’s led by example and the other lads look at him I’m sure as a guiding light as to how you conduct yourself.

“I’m delighted he played and delighted he played so well.”

After Jay Rodriguez gave Burnley a half-time lead from the penalty spot, Paterson eased late pressure with a header in the 84th minute, after Rodriguez’s rattled the crossbar, while a Sam Hird own goal wrapped things up deep into stoppage time.

“I think we needed it (the second goal). The game was far too open for my liking in the second half. It really was end to end,” said Howe.

“Although I don’t think Doncaster had many chances I don’t think we had total control of the game and that’s due to the attacking nature of their side. But we did pass the ball around and on another day I think if we’d have got the second goal earlier we’d have put the game to bed earlier. But the scoreline and the clean sheet especially makes it even better.”

After seeing his side lose three of their previous four home games, Howe hopes this proves to be a turning point.

But with Hull City to come on New Year’s Eve, the Clarets boss has warned them not to get carried away as they bid to close the gap to the play-offs further still, after moving to within three points of sixth place thanks to a run of five wins from six.

“You hope it’s the end of the problems (at home), but I’ve been in football long enough to know not everything is plain sailing. We’re really pleased, but there are lots of tough challenges ahead,” said Howe.

“It lifts the mood definitely within the dressing room, and I’m sure the supporters will be happy looking at the league table. Again it looks better.

“But i’s the type of league that just as quickly as you can go on a winning run you can then go on a losing run, so we’ve got to make sure we keep our focus and prepare as well as we can for the remaining games.

“It’s exciting times hopefully if we can carry on as we have been.”

Meanwhile, Howe will today assess the fitness of defender Michael Duff, who limped off in the second half with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

“It was a big blow to lose Duffo because he’s been outstanding for us in recent games. We’re not quite sure what it is yet, he just felt something in his hamstring, but we had to take him off as a precaution more than him not being able to continue,” he said.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious because he has played a massive part in our recent run.”