THE LOOK etched on Norman Hunter's ashen face was a picture.

The former United hatchet man swept through the hospitality lounge moments after last night's game all shaking head and puffing cheeks after witnessing Burnley's demolition job on his beloved Leeds.

And revenge rarely tastes so sweet.

Supporters of a golden era some 30 years ago still vividly recall the Clarets' last win at Elland Road - a thumping 4-1 triumph in 1974 that was marred by an injury to striker Frank Casper, whose career was curtailed after being left writhing on the running track by a fearsome defender by the name of Norman 'Bites yer Legs' Hunter.

Casper did recover to play again for Burnley, but never really rediscovered the free-scoring form he possessed before that infamous X-rated challenge.

Well bite on this one, Norman!

Leeds may now be a pale shadow of the great side inhabited by the likes of Hunter, McQueen, Bremner, Lorimer, et al, but it's still hard to argue with their standing as a footballing giant.

So every credit to Steve Cotterill, who somehow instilled a desire in a patched-up team at one of the great footballing theatres of English football to pull off a magnificent, morale-boosting victory against all the odds.

Without a win in five league games, missing five first team regulars, playing with three regular right backs in eyebrow-raising roles and naming a bench made up of three teenagers, a trialist and the first team coach, the Clarets could have been forgiven for taking whatever medicine Leeds, no doubt pumped up by assistant manager Sam Ellis, dished out.

Surrendering a goal inside 12 seconds, without a single player in a claret shirt touching the ball, was yet another painful kick in the wotsits.

Yet this Burnley side appears hell-bent on proving people wrong and there is no question that mental strength is instilled by a manager who, despite a lack of financial support, refuses to allow any negativity to enter his mind.

'Cotterill is God' - the description one Clarets fan used when texting Five Live last night, may be taking things a little too far.

But some heavenly force must have been at work once Jermaine Wright slammed the Yorkshire side ahead straight from the kick-off.

"I don't think the early goal dented our confidence one little bit. In fact, I think it actually steeled us," insisted Cotterill.

"It's funny because I turned around to my assistant, Dave Kevan, after the goal and said 'I think we'll win tonight'.

"He must have thought I was stark raving bonkers after going a goal down, but there was just something about us before the game. We had a steely determination to do well."

Steel only tells half the story, for there was also silkiness to Burnley's fightback that Leeds simply had no answer to.

While United resorted to the one-dimensional tactic of lumping the ball up to the towering Brian Deane, all flailing limbs and flying elbows, the Clarets opted for the more rounded approach of spraying the ball about on the floor.

Granted, they were given a huge lift when Clarke Carlisle's woefully short back-pass allowed Lee Roche to steam in and steal an equaliser within 10 minutes, but for Leeds the alarm bells were already ringing.

With Roche occupying the right flank and on-loan Portsmouth defender Richard Duffy making his first ever start on the left side of midfield, the width opened up so many avenues for the visitors.

Down the centre, Micah Hyde, Tony Grant and James O'Connor formed an impenetrable triumvirate, snapping at ankles and winning back possession with consummate ease.

And behind them, John McGreal and his fellow defenders opened up their pockets and slipped Deane and strike partner David Healy inside to ably protect Brian Jensen in his first league start of the season.

The die was cast!

Roche's first goal since the opening day of last season personified that determination as he pounced on Carlisle's loose ball back to Neil Sullivan, won a crunching 50/50 with the former Spurs keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Leeds were instantly on the back foot and Burnley's second goal, on 31 minutes, came as little surprise - even if the scorer did!

A terrific move saw Michael Duff bomb down the right to volley Frank Sinclair's floated free kick into the box, where O'Connor flung himself to head for goal.

Sullivan could only weakly parry the header and Duffy pounced for only his second senior goal, sliding the ball home at the near post.

Deane grazed a post with a firm header soon after when he really should have equalised - but it was only after the break that United began to bare their teeth.

And the Clarets had an amazing let-off in the 48th minute when Frank Sinclair's attempted clearance cannoned off the unwitting Healy, then struck crossbar, post and the goal-line before bouncing out.

More divine intervention there, since Tommy Miller performed the same miraculous feat against the Clarets at Ipswich just two weeks ago!

Jensen then comfortably dealt with a downward Deane header as the United charge slowed.

And that's when Burnley really should have put the game beyond the hosts, spurning two glorious chances.

Michael Duff sent Blake clear on goal from the half way line, but with Micah Hyde screaming for a cut back across the six-yard line with an open goal, and keeper Sullivan stranded, the Clarets skipper tried to find the far corner and somehow missed the target.

Blake then played a quickfire one-two with O'Connor to again race clear, but this time lost control as he homed in on goal.

O'Connor himself took advantage of ragged Leeds in stoppage time, only to blast just over the angle.

But by now, United were a spent force and 3,500 travelling Clarets fans were getting into party mode.

And after 30 years of hurt, who can blame them?

Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Carlisle (Lennon 67), Butler, Kilgallon, Wright, Gregan, Pugh (Simon Johnson 76), Joachim, Healy, Deane (Ricketts 56).

Subs not used: Carson, Walton.

Attendance: 24,490

Referee: Phil Dowd. Missed nothing. 8

Bookings: Pugh 30, Butler 44, Sinclair 51, Duff 65