Burnley battle on with a victory

Taylor 3mins, Moore 45

LIKE a proud fighter who doesn't know when to stop, Burnley refuse to throw in the towel on their first season back in Division One.

On the ropes and seemingly out for the count at Ewood Park a little over a week ago, the Clarets have counter-punched their way back into top-six contention.

And to make their comeback even more impressive they have taken plenty of body blows and shed some blood along the way -- literally speaking in the case of Gordon Armstrong at Selhurst Park last night.

Recalled to the side because of injuries to Ian Cox and Mitchell Thomas, Armstrong teamed up with Steve Davis to keep Wimbledon at bay in a first half started and finished by match-winning goals from the Clarets' striking duo of Gareth Taylor and Ian Moore.

Armstrong bravely defied a gashed head, accidentally cut by David Nielsen's raised boot, for 20 minutes but by half-time had to concede defeat and receive the necessary stitches.

He was replaced by Lee Briscoe, who has played just three times since the end of November, in a back four also including Dean West and Paul Smith, whose combined first-team appearances this season just break into double figures.

Their recalls may have much to do with the fact that Burnley can barely field a 16-man squad of fit, senior players but whatever the reason, all those receiving belated selections have fully contributed to a magnificent effort which could yet pay the ultimate dividend.

Given their run-in against a host of top-six rivals and the fact that they will probably have to win at least four of their remaining six games Burnley must still be an outside bet to finish in the play-off zone.

But not many neutrals would have given them a chance at Wimbledon either.

The Dons had won all four of their last home games and were gearing up for a promotion assault themselves.

Yet they finished a well beaten side last night as the Clarets made a mockery of their patchy away form.

"I thought we played very well and I thought we thoroughly deserved it against an in-form team," said delighted manager Stan Ternent.

"They are a good side and had gone 15 matches straight (without defeat) so it's a real big win for us.

"And to be fair we could, perhaps should, have scored more goals. But I'm delighted with the attitude of the players at this stage of the season."

The foundations for a sixth away win of the season were laid in an exciting first half in which both sides looked dangerous going forward.

However, it was Burnley who had the greater cutting edge as they got two forwards on the scoresheet for the first time since last October.

"It's good the strikers getting goals and we had chances to get more and we defended well. Whatever they threw at us we dealt with and at times we passed the ball quite well and created some opportunities, so all-in-all it was a good night's work," Ternent added.

Wimbledon had hit the bar through the lively David Nielsen after just 45 seconds but it was Burnley who drew first blood courtesy of a towering far post header from Taylor, who met a Paul Weller cross perfectly to direct the ball beyond Kelvin Davis.

The Clarets had to endure some anxious moments as Kevin Cooper bounced a volley over the top and Nik Michopoulos was forced into a fine block from Neil Ardley.

But Burnley were always potent on the break with the on-song Weller, Glen Little and Dean West making major in-roads up the right flank.

At times the Clarets peppered the box and it was from a Little cross in first-half stoppage time that Moore gave the visitors an invaluable second goal.

Kevin Ball went close when he connected with Little's pull-back only for Davis to make a fine save. However, the keeper couldn't hold the ball and when it ran loose Moore pounced to rifle a shot into the top corner.

In their current mood Burnley were never likely to relinquish that advantage and despite another enforced defensive re-shuffle they confidently snuffed out any prospect of a Wimbledon fightback.

Briscoe looked as though he had never been away beside the towering figure of Steve Davis, while Ball did a more than useful job when also dropping into the back-line to negate the arrival of a third Dons striker.

And having soaked up some pressure for 20 minutes after half-time it was Burnley who had the better opportunities to produce the third goal of the night.

The home side were restricted to a long-range effort from substitute Patrick Agyemang which Michopoulos pushed around the post, while at the other end Little and Moore could have made more of openings that came their way.

Paul Cook also forced Davis into a scrambling save before the keeper departed with a dead leg and a minute from time his replacement, Paul Heald, almost dropped an almighty clanger when he missed a back pass which rolled inches wide of the target.

At that late stage a corner was almost as good as a goal for Burnley and they won't mind saving any luck going their way until it really could matter over the next few weeks.