IT MIGHT have been stretching the point a little, but when one of the country's top goalkeepers of the past couple of decades says you've seen a save of Gordon Banks proportions who am I to argue?

Even to the relatively untrained eye, Paul Crichton's reflex stop to prevent Hartlepool striker Tim Sperrevik throwing this cup-tie completely into the balance looked a bit special.

And Pool boss Chris Turner, no slouch between the sticks with Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Manchester United throughout the 1980s, was prepared to go that bit further. "That save ranks with Gordon Banks against Pele. Sperrevik did everything right in heading it down into the ground with power but the keeper got across to turn it away," said Turner with a mixture of admiration and frustration afterwards.

Had Crichton not made the save, Third Division Hartlepool would have been 3-1 up a minute into the second half and with the whiff of a major upset in their nostrils.

Instead, Burnley came through their mini-crisis to level through Andy Payton's fourth goal in 90 minutes spread over the two legs.

And even though Paul Stephenson won it for Pool on the night with a cracking last-minute free-kick, the Clarets emerged as two-goal aggregate winners.

A place in tonight's second-round draw now awaits, while Crichton can lay claim to having made the 'save of the century.'

After all, Banks' title is up for grabs now that we've passed the Millenium. And while Victoria Park on a balmy September night doesn't quite match the World Cup finals in Mexico, it's the same game.

It was a funny old night for Crichton who hit the highs and lows before going on to enjoy the last laugh.

The Clarets keeper got his wires crossed with two of his defenders early on before being faced by a penalty just before the half-hour mark following a blatant handball from Mitchell Thomas.

He made an excellent save from Tommy Miller's first effort but the referee insisted he had seen some illegal movement and ordered the kick to be re-taken.

Miller seized the chance and this time sent Crichton the wrong way to cancel out Andy Cooke's excellent 17th-minute opener.

And minutes later Crichton was picking the ball out of the net again when he was beaten from 30 yards by Lee Fitzpatrick's dipping volley which was destined for the net the moment he struck it.

However, while Crichton, like most keepers, has his moments he is still as good as most outside the Premiership, by my reckoning, and he certainly came to Burnley's rescue before Stephenson earned Pool their moral victory. "It was a very tough game but we're not going to get three goals scored against us like that in every game are we?" reasoned Burnley's assistant manager Sam Ellis after guiding the Clarets through in the absence of boss Stan Ternent.

It had appeared plain-sailing early on as Burnley, with an unchanged side, looked to build on their 4-1 first-leg lead.

Cooke was a constant menace to the home defence and after planting a header wide extended the Clarets' advantage with his first goal of the season.

Using all his strength, he chested down Glen Little's astute ball and then on the volley guided a sweet left-footer into the top corner with 17 minutes gone.

Four minutes later he missed an easier chance and the balance began to shift as Burnley's defence looked strangely unsure against Sperrevik, a replacement for the injured Anth Lormor, and former Clarets striker Kevin Henderson.

The midfield also lost its grip and Burnley were clearly rattled as they went 2-1 down with goals either side of a missed opportunity for Phil Gray.

There may have been real cause for concern had Crichton not performed his heroics after the re-start but with Pool unable to turn their pressure into clear-cut opportunities Burnley survived and counter-attacked.

Former Blackburn keeper Anthony Williams made a smart save to deny Cooke and then grabbed a Lee Briscoe drive. But he was given no chance when Payton made it 2-2 on the night with a classic header.

Getting ahead of Gary Strodder he met Briscoe's pin-point cross with a powerful header which must, surely, earn him a starting place at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The entertainment, watched by just 1,090, wasn't over thanks to Stephenson's reminder of more glamorous days with Newcastle United.

Burnley had, indeed, made heavy weather of getting through. But they achieved what they set out to do two weeks ago and if they draw a Premiership plum out of the hat tonight, an ultimately meaningless defeat at Hartlepool will be swiftly forgotten.