NATURAL born Claret and natural born goalscorer, Andy Payton can lay claim to both titles.

He brandished the first message, along with the celebration of 200 career goals, on a shirt which he revealed beneath his strip after nodding home Burnley's early winner at the Racecourse Ground.

The second tribute can be written by others, but it's no less true.

Payton, who watched his beloved Clarets from the Longside at Turf Moor as a youngster, is Burnley through-and-through.

And the 'Padiham Predator' is also among the best in the business when it comes to hitting the back of the net.

In the Second Division his consistency makes him almost untouchable as he racked up 20 League goals for the second season running to earn Burnley a priceless win in their promotion crusade.

After four games out of the starting line-up, three of them through his own doing thanks to that costly red card against Bristol Rovers, Payton had been badly missed.

And he underlined both that point and his remarkable value to the cause by notching his double-century of career strikes and 55th goal in just 98 starting appearances for the Clarets. "I've congratulated him in the dressing room," said Burnley manager Stan Ternent.

"It's a fantastic achievement any way you look at it and he's a long way from finished yet," he added after taking the bold step of leaving out Ian Wright to bring Payton back into the firing line.

And while Wright's career record speaks for itself, Payton's threat at this level is also universally recognised by his peers and opposing managers.

Wrexham boss Brian Flynn, stripped of his own in-form marksman following an injury to loan signing Danny Allsopp, admitted: "He's scored goals all over his career.

"He's their top-scorer again this season and give him an inch and he will take it."

Recognising Payton's threat and doing something about it are two different things, however, and the old firm of Payton and Andy Cooke settled the issue after just six minutes.

Cooke's magnificent right-wing cross saw Payton head against the bar before collecting the rebound to nod the ball into the top corner in front of the supporters who idolise their local hero. Only Kevin Dearden's fine save after half-an-hour prevented Payton chalking up number 201.

But a far more resolute performance than those which saw Burnley go into this game on the back of successive defeats meant that one goal was always likely to be enough.

Ternent added: "Their keeper made a fantastic save from Andy which could have been 2-0.

"And for all their endeavour and huff and puff there was only one save for Paul Crichton to make in the whole of the game, so that reflected well on our defenders." It didn't make for pretty viewing once Burnley's sprightly opening spell had petered out.

But this was all about the result the Clarets badly needed to stay handily placed in the top six and in good heart for tomorrow's showdown with promotion rivals Gillingham.

After leaking five goals in two games, Ternent's men defended much more positively to leave former Burnley favourite Flynn disappointed.

"I think we deserved to get something out of the game.

"When you play a side at the top of the division and you give them one hell of a game you feel as if you should have got something," he said.

Wrexham certainly did give the Clarets a game and spent much of the second half in the ascendency.

But Burnley kept them at arm's length with Mitchell Thomas, Ian Cox and Steve Davis forming a formidable barrier that the home side failed to break through.

Right winger Robin Gibson was excellent for the Welshmen and gave Paul Smith a difficult time on his return to the side.

But there was little end product to Wrexham's play bar one threatening attack which saw Crichton make an excellent save from Andy Morrell's brave header, Karl Connolly then being ruled off-side when he joined in to knock the rebound into the net.

A remarkably dry pitch didn't help the entertainment value and, with Lenny Johnrose and the recalled Micky Mellon beavering away in midfield, the Clarets' kept their lead intact.

The advantage could have been enhanced early on as the visitors played with great freedom and got forward in numbers.

Paul Cook, important in defence and attack at that stage, put one cross on the head of Davis, which the defender glanced at Dearden, and then threaded through a ball for Cooke which bobbled across the striker with the target opening up invitingly in front of him.

Wrexham had been restricted to a long-range effort from Brian Carey before the busy Gareth Owen cracked a shot just over the top following more good work from Gibson.

With the game then deteriorating after the break, Burnley looked to close it out and defended in depth.

That limited Wrexham to just a couple of headed opportunities which never threatened Crichton's goal, while the Clarets tried to nick a second on the break.

After Mellon had lifted a shot over the bar, the best chance fell to Payton two minutes from the end thanks to Ronnie Jepson's fine through-ball.

This time he couldn't capitalise, but the day was already his as Burnley got themselves back in business.

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