BURNLEY fans made the short trip to Bury in their droves full of optimism, and they were not let down.

Bookmakers have focused their attention on the Clarets this season, tipping them among the favourites to make the coveted climb back to the Premier League in their first post-relegation campaign.

It is a lot of pressure to take on board, but, on this evidence, Brian Laws’ Burnley seem ready to deal with the weight of expectation and put the disappointment of the drop firmly behind them.

Ross Wallace, in particular, was keen to make a good first impres-sion and succeeded - scoring one and having a hand in the other, for Steven Thompson, as Burnley ended the first half with two goals in 12 minutes.

The winger looked lively in his first run-out for his new club, before Laws made wholesale changes after the break.

Chris Eagles’ deft clip over goalkeeper Cameron Belford gave the scoreline the convincing look it deserved as the Clarets demonstrated their attacking intentions with a 4-3-3 line-up in either half.

The clean sheet shouldn’t go unrecognised either, after a season in which they were hard to come by as Burnley shipped the most goals in the Premier League.

Boss Laws has insisted he is happy with the quality, and numbers, of defenders at his disposal and doesn’t feel the need for additions in that department.

David Edgar even began the second half in a holding midfield role until Richard Eckersley was substituted, such are the options available in the rearguard.

And together they limited League Two Bury, who have high hopes themselves this season, to half chances in the main. However, it was Alan Knill’s side who registered the first shot at goal, but Andy Bishop’s shot from the edge of the box swerved wide of the far left post on 19 minutes.

It was at that point that the game got going. A tentative toot on a vuvuzela, met with light-hearted boos, had provided the only previous entertainment.

Burnley got into their stride, showed good energy despite the warm temperatures, and moved the ball more crisply than you would anticipate for such an early stage of pre-season.

Wallace got good service, notably from fit-again Chris McCann, and set pulses racing with his left-wing raids, breaking the deadlock with a firm left-footed finish in-off Belford just after the half-hour.

The Clarets were lining up the shots and Jay Rodriguez, who started on the right of a front three, went close from distance.

Thompson scored the pick of Burnley’s three goals on the stroke of half-time, showing composure to tuck the ball away at the end of an eye-catching passing move that Wade Elliott, McCann, Wallace and Rodriguez.

Laws made nine changes at the start of a second half which was made dis-jointed by Bury making substitutions at intervals, in typical pre-season fashion.

But summer signings Chris Iwelumo and Dean Marney still managed to make an impression with their work-rate, while Eagles capped an encouraging afternoon when he spotted Belford off his line.

While results are welcome there is more to pre-season friendlies, and Laws was delighted to welcome back McCann for his first game since January, after a season ruined by knee injuries.