'BACK to basics' was the call to arms from Steve Cotterill.

And a 19th clean sheet of the season at least provides a basic platform for Burnley to now step forward and finish an eventful season on the front foot.

With such a small squad decimated through a combination of injury and suspension, perhaps three points against a Leicester side scrapping to remain at arm's length in a frantic relegation fight was just too much to ask.

But credit the Clarets with eventually giving City an examination before they return to this neck of the woods for Sunday's hotly-contested FA Cup quarter final showdown with Blackburn Rovers.

For a long period of this, the eighth energy-sapping game in 25 days, Burnley unsurprisingly looked leg-weary.

But as in many recent performances, just when you begin to think the tank is close to empty, Cotterill's players dig deep into their reserves and summon up the energy to take their game up a notch.

Last night, it so nearly worked after a game that took an eternity to spark into life despite an explosive start.

Only 55 seconds had elapsed when Ian Moore found himself with a clear run on goal following Jean-Louis Valois' threaded pass.

Critically, the first touch was far too heavy and Foxes' stopper Ian Walker raced from his line to smother the chance.

After that, the home fans grew increasingly restless until midway through the second half, when many might have expected the hosts to be fast running out of ideas.

In contrast, Cotterill's Clarets kept pegging away and, with cooler finishing and a dash of the luck that has deserted them in recent weeks, that 50-point barrier would now be breachable at the weekend.

John Oster was the inside of an upright away from celebrating his second goal for the club, while Graham Branch could have ended up with the match ball had a lack of conviction not betrayed him on three separate occasions.

But with the banned Ade Akinbiyi waiting in the wings - and a hint that Cotterill is already looking to bolster his attacking options after admitting an interest in Luton Town hot-shot Steve Howard - comfort comes in knowing such chances will not always be squandered.

And how Burnley could have done with a strapping, menacing centre forward against a City side that certainly didn't like the ball being delivered into the danger area.

Frank Sinclair, starting in an unfamiliar left back role in place of the suspended Mo Camara, proved that with an early peach of a cross that Nikos Dabizas scrambled off Moore's head with his fellow defenders and goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

However, Leicester were not without their own openings in a first half where the visitors looked the more threatening.

Defender Nikos Dabizas rose unmarked to head over Gareth Williams' right wing corner before livewire striker David Connolly suddenly pounced on a moment of hesitancy to carve out his side's best opening.

Burnley's normally reliable back line was caught cold for a split second and Connolly raced straight through the middle to latch onto Stephen Hughes' precision pass, only to see Brian Jensen claw his attempted chip out of the night air.

That was the signal for the Foxes to step up the hunt and seven minutes before half time they again came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock.

Connolly was again the instigator, chesting a clearance into Tommy Wright's path to set his strike partner racing away down the left.

He in turn found the by-line and drilled a low ball across the six-yard box, where Connolly had made up the ground and was a bootlace away from connecting.

A worrying sight during the half time break was the sight of Gary Cahill emerging from the dressing room for an impromptu fitness test on a leg injury.

Thankfully the on-loan Aston Villa defender passed his examination and resumed at the heart of defence at the restart.

But Cahill hardly had time for a breather as City midfielder Williams raced into the box only to see his rising drive was turned over the bar by Jensen at his near post.

However, within seconds, Branch really should have given the Clarets the longed-for breakthrough after Valois picked him out with a peach of a pass.

Just Walker stood between Branch and glory, but under increasing pressure from Darren Kenton the midfielder agonisingly dragged his shot wide of goal.

Things got worse for Branch when he incurred the wrath of home fans again in the 65th minute, spurning another terrific opportunity from Valois' supply line.

This time the Frenchman found his team mate overlapping on the left with a magnificent cross field pass, but with the ball bouncing invitingly, Branch elected to cut back inside on his right foot and was quickly closed down.

Oster then jinked his way into the penalty area on the same patch of turf before cutting back onto his favoured right foot and curling a cross-cum-shot off the post and out to safety.

And after Gareth Williams blew City's best chance of a smash-and-grab raid at the other end by firing straight at Jensen, Burnley blew their best chance of snatching all three points.

Michael Duff hung up an inch-perfect cross to the far post, where the unmarked Branch drilled his weak header down into the ground and harmlessly over the crossbar.

LEICESTER: Walker, Kenton, Dabizas, McCarthy, Maybury, Gemmill, Williams, Wright, Hughes, Stewart, Connolly.

Subs: Gillespie (for Stewart 45), de Vries (for Wright 64), Nalis (for Connolly 76).

Not used: Stearman, Hirschfield

REF: A Kaye. No complaints. 8

BOOKINGS: Sinclair 43, Whittingham 64, Connolly 76, Gillespie 90

ATT: 10,933