WADE Elliott predicted he had goals in his new boots - but kept faith with his old favourites to do the business.

The wily winger has spent all season providing for others to claim one of the top spots in the assist charts.

But he popped up just before the hour to clinch a winner crucial to Burnley's play-off ambitions, and put himself in with a chance of reclaiming the goal of the season gong he earned last year.

That strike, although brilliant, was of little consequence in the grand scheme of things.

His 35-yard effort at the Stadium of Light in the penultimate game of the season put Burnley 2-1 up at the time, only to lose 3-2 to champions Sunderland.

But his first of this season could not have been more vital.

The Clarets have previously slipped up at inopportune moments and failed to capitalise on bad nights for their nearest rivals.

But while Plymouth Argyle lost 1-0 at Scunthorpe, Saturday's opponents Wolves were beaten 2-1 at Preston and Ipswich were sunk 4-1 at Barnsley, Burnley rose to go back within a point of the play-offs.

The game was touch-and-go close to kick-off after torrential downpours left vast patches of standing water on the pitch.

The forks were out in force to speed up the drainage, with the groundsmen and youth team playing a hands-on role on the night that Burnley's play-off ambitions still remained in their grasp.

Graham Alexander and Robbie Blake deserve the plaudits for their impressive role in Elliott's winner, but a big pat on the back must go to the hardy soles who got this game playable in the first place.

The conditions took longer for the visitors to adapt to as Burnley started much the brighter of the two sides, giving the Charlton defence plenty to deal with their ability and intent to work both flanks.

Robbie Blake and Kyle Lafferty combined on the left before Jon Harley swept a high ball to the far post, where James O'Connor thumped a header just over the bar.

Andrew Cole, back in the starting line-up after a slight calf problem restricted him to only a late cameo appearance at Stoke City, then flicked an inviting ball over to Wade Elliott waiting to pounce to the right of goal.

And Blake kept the foot on the gas by pumping an inviting ball into the area that central defender Patrick McCarthy dealt with at close-range, with a header that could have gone anywhere.

But Charlton began to show flashes of their threats, notably through left winger Jerome Thomas, who blazed over shortly after being thwarted by Graham Alexander's well-timed challenge.

Andy Gray, who was booed every time he got the ball on his first appearance at Turf Moor since leaving Burnley in the January transfer window, created a chance for Leroy Lita that the one-time Clarets target failed to take.

Burnley's early tempo began to dip, but although they were gradually put under increased pressure, a smart save to keep out Darren Ambrose's low strike was the only time Gabor Kiraly was called into action before the break.

Although the ball squirmed out of his grasp in a muddy and wet goalmouth, the Hungarian stopper was quick to recover his position and the ball.

As the fourth official raised his board to the sky to indicate two minutes of added time, the heavens opened once more.

Mother Nature was doing her best to throw even more complications into the mix of an already complex situation at the top end of the Championship.

Charlton still had a slim chance of automatic promotion, but both teams remained very much in the play-off hunt before kick-off.

Neither managed to grasp the nettle in the first 45 minutes, but then how difficult it must have been to maintain any semblence of control over the ball, and even their footing, in such a swirling gale ... not to mention the mud.

That proved to be Lafferty's undoing soon after the restart when Blake laid a short pass back to him, and Charlton were able to clear.

Charlton remained sharp on the break and Gray had a couple of chances but was wide with one and Clarke Carlisle put in a brilliant tackle to prevent him from ending his long-running goal drought.

Instead, the ever-threatening storm abated in time for Elliott to make his mark.

Alexander's clever ball through for Blake earned a throw-in that the right back took quickly. Blake controlled it, rolled away from his marker and laid the ball off for Elliott to pick his spot with a the sweetest of left-foot strikes.

Jon Harley was close to adding another but his shot from distance rose narrowly over the bar.

Alan Mahon then fizzed a shot just wide seconds before being withdrawn for John Spicer.

Burnley continued to press and Lafferty brought a smart save from Nicky Weaver from a tight angle after using his strength to hold the ball up inside the area.

Desperate Charlton staged a late rally but Stanislav Varga and Carlisle were determined not to concede a last-gasp equaliser again.

Varga blocked Greg Halford then headed the resultant corner clear, while substitute Luke Varney and midfielder Matt Holland both missed the target.

James O'Connor broke quickly to test Weaver once more, before the Clarets saw out four tense minutes of added time to keep their play-off dreams alive and kicking.

Delighted manager Coyle thought Elliott's new boots had proved fruitful, until the winger said: "I stuck with my old ones. The others were a little uncomfortable in the warm-up so I changed them."

And it's unlikely he'll change back now.