Division Two: Burnley v Fulham - Pete Oliver's big match preview

BURNLEY'S perfectly-timed unbeaten eight-match run has revived their season and also marked them down as one of the form sides of the Second Division.

But for sustained excellence at this level, then Burnley must match tomorrow's visitors to Turf Moor who could prove themselves the most prolific team in Football League history.

Newly-crowned Division Two champions, Fulham, are chasing the record points haul of 102 set by Swindon Town when they won the Fourth Division championship in 1986.

And a win at Burnley would leave them needing just three more points to eclipse that figure from their remaining two fixtures against two sides hoping to join them in Division One next season, Walsall and Preston.

Not that Burnley will be planning to contribute to Fulham's record bid and allow Kevin Keegan's all-conquering side to continue sweeping all before them.

The Clarets would like a win themselves to guarantee their Second Division status and maintain their momentum to the end of the season.

And Burnley defender Steve Davis underlined the added incentive facing the Clarets.

"Fulham are the team that have won the League so they are the yardstick for everyone else. "Especially now they have won the League, they are the team everyone wants to beat.

"And having Kevin Keegan as their manager gives everyone a lift," he said.

An international call-up might have passed Davis by, but Keegan's willingness to pick the likes of Kevin Phillips must give hope to plenty of players outside the Premiership.

And the part-time England manager's status obviously remains an inspiring factor for his own players and the opposition alike.

"You just want to play well in front of someone with that reputation," Davis added.

Fulham's quality is also reflected in the selection of five of their players in the PFA's Second Division team, of which Davis was also a member.

"I will be up against Chris Coleman who was the other centre-half so it will be nice to play against him.

"He has nothing to prove but he will want to do well and show what he can do. "They have got a few other players in the team as well so it will be interesting to see what we can do against them," added Davis, who was recognised by his fellow players alongside Coleman and Fulham colleagues Maik Taylor, Steve Finnan, Rufus Brevett and Geoff Horsfield.

Burnley manager Stan Ternent is also looking forward to tackling a Fulham side that has set the standard for others to follow, even if the Cottagers' spending power under Mohammed Al Fayed makes them something of a special case at this level.

"We played very well (at Stoke) and we got our just reward. The yardstick is now this week when we play the best team in the League," said Ternent. "That will be a very difficult match but it will give us an opportunity to see what progress we've made and what the yardstick is for success."

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