ANDY Payton admitted his first hat-trick in a claret and blue shirt had been long overdue after firing Burnley to the top of the table.

Payton took his Clarets' goal tally to 41 as he bagged all three in Burnley's 3-0 beating of Colchester United on Saturday.

And after putting himself within touching distance of a hat-trick half-a-dozen times last season, he was delighted to finally pull off the three-card trick.

"It's about time. It's been coming so I'm very pleased about it.

"My first Burnley hat-trick obviously means a lot to me. I've had a few twos so to get three I'm delighted," said Payton, who could have had five but for an inspired performance from Colchester keeper Simon Brown.

"He made a save when I had a header in the first half which he tipped over and then he made another from me after Steve had hit the bar.

"But I can't complain. If you get three you are a happy," added the Clarets' leading scorer, who was given the kind of service and space in the opponents' penalty area he must dream about.

"Glen put a tremendous cross in over the defender, that's what he can do. I've always said to Glen you can have all the credit in the world, you just keep doing that for me and everyone's happy. "And the other cross from Smithy was brilliant. So for a striker it's tremendous. With Smithy's left foot and Glen's quality that's what I should be expecting really so I'm delighted they set up two good goals for me," said Payton, whose other strike came from the penalty spot after Graham Branch had been felled just before half-time.

Payton then completed the scoring early in the second half after which Burnley switched off with their job done.

"We're not over the moon because realistically we could have won five or six, but everyone's happy," admitted Payton.

"I know the game was a bit dead after we had gone 3-0 up but we would have settled for that before the game, that clean sheet and three points.

"We probably didn't play as well as we can but if we had been playing a better side it would have been more of a game. I think the game died a death after the third one went in.

"But we kept another clean sheet. I think we've only conceded two goals in open play and you can't knock that."

And Payton's goals, which immediately lifted him to within one of the Second Division's leading marksmen, were made even sweeter by the fact that they took the Clarets a point clear at the top of the table.

"I didn't know that at first, somebody said we were second. But it's tremendous," he added.

Boss Stan Ternent was delighted with Payton's goals which extended Burnley's home record in the League to four wins out of four.

"I'm pleased for him. We know what he does and that's score goals. But it's for the team, that's the main thing," said Ternent. The Clarets chief added: "The three points were very good. I thought we played well. I'm happy with the commitment, there's plenty of endeavour and the way we're playing. You can't do more than win and that's what we're doing.

"We have got a couple of tough tests coming up which will tell us more but at the moment we're top of the league and all credit to the players for that."

Burnley youngster Brad Maylett will be sidelined for three months with medial ligament damage. However, in his absence the Clarets youth team continued their climb up the Youth Alliance's North-West Conference as they beat Tranmere 3-0.

Anthony Shandran struck twice with Burnley's other goal coming courtesy of an own-goal.

Former Clarets defender Ally Pickering is on the move again, having joined Conference outfit Altrincham after just one game for Hyde United.

And Kevin Henderson scored his first goal for Hartlepool on Saturday following his summer move from Turf Moor. Mark Winstanley was also on target in Shrewsbury's win over Carlisle.

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