Burnley 1 Brentford 1 - Pete Oliver's big match verdict

THE sooner Burnley get out themselves out of the relegation dog-fight the better.

Not just to eradicate the fear of a disastrous drop into the Nationwide League's basement but to avoid any more matches like this one.

When you are fighting for survival and playing away from home against a neighbour in distress you can excuse most things.

But Brentford's approach does nothing for the entertainment value and with Burnley unable to make them pay for such a one-dimensional game plan then the result was an afternoon of almost total frustration.

That it wasn't a complete write-off was down to Glen Little's delightfully taken equaliser.

His first ever League goal 12 minutes from time denied the Bees their first away win in the Second Division and they could have a long wait to break that duck, unless they can next time preserve one of their rare goals on the road.

Robert Taylor's deflected strike five minutes into the second half was only Brentford's eighth goal on their travels in the League this season.

But their tactics should come into their own if they can get a lead with their rigid back five a real tough nut to crack.

The Clarets had a bad day at the office and looked increasingly unlikely to make the breakthrough and extend their unbeaten home run to eight games. Not helped by a poor surface their distribution was poor and they looked short of ideas at times as Andy Cooke and Andy Payton were barely given a look-in up front.

Burnley's desire to pass their way from back to front is laudable but there were times when a bit more urgency might have helped. Their approach play was sometimes too measured and Brentford were allowed to get plenty of men behind the ball and retain their shape.

Brentford's flat back five made it very difficult for Burnley to get behind them, although the promise was there early on when Chris Brass and Mark Winstanley both got in telling crosses which just eluded a target. It was ironic therefore that on a day when adventure was not in their vocabulary that the best chance of a dismal first half should fall to Brentford full-back Carl Hutchings.

His sortie forward paid off when Neil Moore was unable to cut out Warren Aspinall's lobbed ball into the box.

But from an inviting position Hutchings shot across the face of goal when he should have scored.

Faced by a constant wall of white shirts Burnley couldn't conjure up an incisive final ball and it was left to defender Gerry Harrison to have their first meaningful shot with 36 minutes gone as he broke forward with the aid of Mark Robertson's fine pass.

Brass followed his example and his determination gave Cooke the chance to deliver an inviting cross but again it just eluded Payton as Mike Pollitt was reduced to the role of spectator. The on-loan keeper was finally called into action when a slip by new signing Danny Cullip a minute after the re-start almost let in Cooke but he found Pollitt's massive frame too big to by-pass.

Had Burnley got the first goal then Brentford would have had to open up and further chances might have followed.

But the Clarets' worst nightmare looked to be unfolding when the visitors took the lead.

Taylor had been earmarked by Burnley boss Chris Waddle as the main danger and his words proved prophetic when grabbed his 17th goal of the season, although he needed a large slice of luck to do so.

Well found by David McGee following a corner, Taylor's shot on the turn looked well covered by Marlon Beresford until it deflected off Moore and rolled inside the near post.

It was always going to be an uphill battle from then on in and a succession of niggling fouls and delaying tactics from Brentford never allowed Burnley to establish any pattern.

What was needed was an instant response and, but for an excellent block by Graeme Hogg on Cooke and Pollitt's parry from a Robertson piledriver, it might have come.

Brentford boss Micky Adams has re-built his defence with former Manchester United stopper Hogg a key component and he was as resolute as any as standing firm in the face of plenty of Burnley possession but too little penetration.

Harrison was pushed into midfield but still no gaps appeared as Burnley tried to build up a head of steam but they lacked the craft to do so and Brentford certainly didn't make it easy with survival their only aim.

Little looked Burnley's best hope of salvation, although he often started from deep, and from one of his crosses Cooke headed the ball back to Payton whose header was blocked by the chest of Jamie Bates almost on the goal-line. Payton was given no leeway in the penalty area but he stuck to his task and finally carved out an opening for Little to equalise.

Collecting Brass's pass, Payton directed the ball through for Little who shrugged off a challenge to beat Pollitt to the ball and deftly flick it over him and into the corner.

That seemed likely to trigger off a stirring Burnley finale as they went in search of the winner. But, either through a mixture of relief or plain tiredness after drawing level, they lost their momentum and allowed Brentford their most lively spell of the game as Taylor went close to a winner after twisting past Moore.

That would have been an injustice but then perhaps Burnley would have barely deserved the win either had Moore's injury-time header found the target.

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