IT wasn't quite a penalty shoot-out of England proportions but it got quite heated at the Bowl as Burnley squared up for a spot kick decider against Oldham in their last game of the Isle of Man tournament qualifiers.

The game had ended 1-1 after Gareth Taylor scored his second goal of the Manx event putting the Clarets ahead with a 32nd minute strike before Danny Boshell equalised for Oldham in the 79th minute.

It meant it all boiled down to the spot kicks as there has to be a result in every game of the tournament.

Nik Michopoulos had proved the hero of the first spot kick, saving from Matthew Tipton as the Burnley fans gathered behind the goal in mini celebration.

But, following Steve Davis's miss, it ran to rule as Lee Briscoe, Andy Payton, trialist Alan Moore, Gareth Taylor and Glen Little all hit the target and the Oldham players followed suit.

It was left to Kevin Ball, who was voted man of the match for his usual never-say-die performance in midfield, to keep the pressure on Oldham and most people would have put their house on the midfielder keeping his cool to net the crucial spot kick.

However, Latics keeper Gary Kelly saved his penalty giving Oldham the win -- but it all proved academic to the Clarets as they sealed a final berth on goal difference.

Two wins for the Clarets means they ended up on six points with plus three goal difference, while the Latics had two wins with plus two goals.

It means Brian Flynn's Wrexham need a 4-0 victory tonight against the Isle of Man if they want to face the Clarets in the final reckoning. The hosts are out of it with two losses so far.

The results aren't important in these pre season games but Stan Ternent must be secretly pleased his side have remained unbeaten in theory throughout the tournament after last summer losing to both Oldham and the Isle of Man.

He fell back on the side that beat Wrexham 2-0 in the opening day of the tournament on Sunday despite the likes of John Mullin and Ian Cox impressing in the 1-0 win over the Isle of Man on Tuesday night.

Dean West returned to the right back slot although new signing Mark McGregor came on after half time to prove he can do the job just as well.

Ternent switched his midfield around, as he has done in recent games, introducing the trialists, winger Moore and Paul Hughes, after the interval to give both a run out.

And Oldham must have been fearful of former Chelsea battler Hughes who linked up well with Ball in midfield and both got stuck in despite it being just a friendly.

"Neither took any prisoners but they are both good players as well," said Burnley boss Ternent. "That is why Bally won the man of the match."

It had all started so well for Burnley with Taylor, beginning once more with £1m record signing Ian Moore up front, having no problem finding the back of the net.

The 28-year-old received the ball in the area and turned Shaun Garnett before firing straight past Kelly to give Burnley a deserved lead in the 32nd minute.

It was all the Clarets up until that point and they continued the pressure after that but despite some good crosses by Briscoe, Little and eventually Alan Moore on the wing they couldn't seriously trouble Kelly.

Oldham began to come more into it in the second half but Burnley's back line of West, Davis, Cox and Briscoe seemed in control and Michopoulos hardly had a save to make.

But that was until Boshell got the ball from midfield and, from 25 yards out, slotted the ball low straight past Nik the Greek as Burnley conceded their first goal of the tournament -- and gave Oldham a draw they never looked like getting.

As there has to be a result in every game in the competition this year, Michopoulos saved first from Tipton in the penalty showdown and it looked like plain sailing for the Burnley contingent.

But skipper Davis hit the post and Oldham were always in control, taking the first kick after that.

At 6-5, Ball could only watch as his shot was saved by Kelly -- although the Oldham players could begin only a muted celebration as they are waiting on the result from the Wrexham v Isle of Man match tonight.

"I'm not bothered who we play," said Burnley boss Ternent. "For us, it is a good tournament to be in and it is good to reach the final.

"We'll just see what happens now."

KICK off at the Bowl in Douglas is 2.30pm on Saturday.

Satistics:

BURNLEY...1

Taylor 32

OLDHAM...1

Boshell 79

Oldham won 6-5 on penalties

BURNLEY

4-4-2

Michopoulos

West Davis Armstrong Briscoe

Cook Ball Weller Little

Taylor Moore

Subs: Cox (for Armstrong 53); Hughes (for Cook 53); A Moore (for Weller 71); Payton (for Moore 73); West (for McGregor 73)

OLDHAM

4-4-2

Kelly

Hotte Balmer Garnett McNiven

Hardy J Sheridan Bushell Rickers

Corazzin Eyre

Subs: Tipton (for Eyre 56); Allott (for Corazzin 56). Subs not used: D Sheridan, D Miskelly, P Jones