HAVING named an unchanged side for the last four games, Clarets boss Stan Ternent has a key decision to make ahead of tonight's clash with Grimsby Town.

Tonight's game offers the Clarets the chance to move five points clear of the pack ahead of tomorrow's fixtures, turning the heat on their promotion rivals.

But left back Lee Briscoe is suspended and so Ternent is forced to shuffle his pack.

"Steve Davis won't be available and Mitchell Thomas is also still injured, so we can go on and on, but that's how it is," he said.

On the plus side Graham Branch is fit again and has been playing at left back in the reserves while the experience and versatility of both Kevin Ball and Gordon Armstrong are also options.

Ball slotted in well alongside Ian Cox at Coventry last week when Briscoe was injured, with Arthur Gnohere switching to the flank.

In addition Alan Moore is another week closer to full fitness having had a run out for the last 15 minutes at Highfield Road after his hernia operation.

Whoever plays will do so in front of a big crowd and Ternent is delighted that every seat in the home section has been sold for the televised encounter. He is now hoping his players will put on a show that will encourage the fans to come back again and again.

"They've sold 18,000 tickets, which is smashing," he said. "There should be a good atmosphere, it's on television and it's a good occasion for the club.

"All we have to do now is the main thing, turn up, put on a show, and hopefully win so we don't fall flat on our faces!"

Everyone at Turf Moor is enjoying life at the top but Ternent is well aware that there is still a lot of hard work to be done if they are to stay there.

"We're top, and that's good for the club and everyone connected with it," he said. "That's all credit to the players because I feel they've been pretty consistent.

"We have the chance to get another three points against Grimsby, which will be a difficult match. Being top of the league brings it's own pressures, but the players are certainly good enough to be there in my book."

But time and again this season leading clubs have come undone against supposedly lesser lights, the latest example being the defeat for Crystal Palace at Gillingham that ensured the Clarets go into today's game on top.

"Every game is a clean start, and any team can beat any other in this league," he warned. "We're playing particularly well at the moment, but Grimsby will have something to say about that. We will have to be at our best."

The freescoring form from the early weeks of the season may have deserted the Clarets but they have been very solid in recent games.

Ternent said: "We're still not getting as many breaks as we could, certainly in the box. Whether that's down to us, good defending or luck, I'm not quite sure.

"But I think we are capable of scoring more goals than we have been doing."

The target remains a return to the top flight for the first time in a quarter of a century and another win tonight would underline the Clarets right to be top of the table.

"I don't envisage anyone running away with it," he said.

"I may well be wrong, but that's how it's panned out so far. But it's too early to start talking about promotions.

"We'll keep trying to win each game we play and we will certainly get setbacks along the way but we enjoy being top. The object of the exercise, eventually, is to try and get back in the big league."

Victory in front of a packed Turf Moor would certainly make it a very good Friday for the Clarets.