Rob does the job

COMETH the hour, cometh the main man.

Burnley have faced several challenges since Steve Cotterill took charge in the summer.

A new manager has brought with him a new formation, new faces and a new captain.

But some things never change and super skipper Robbie Blake chose a timely moment to prove that wearing the captain's armband means you lead by example.

Until Saturday, Clarets fans had not quite seen the Blake of old - the fleet-footed striker who scored a career-best 22 goals last season and could easily have ended up with 30.

Pre-season friendlies aside, Blake had gone nine games, stretching back to the vital goal at Walsall last April, without finding the net - the worst drought since he arrived back at Turf Moor in January 2002 nursing a hernia injury.

It hadn't gone unnoticed and, only last week, Watford match winner Ian Moore commented on how the barren spell was becoming something of a millstone around Blake's neck.

But you can't keep a good man down for long and, when the Clarets found themselves facing the new challenge of falling behind for the first time under Cotterill, it was old faithful who rode to the rescue - and how!

Like Franz Klammer in his prime, Blake took the piste out of the entire Wolves defence with a wonderful slaloming run before sliding the ball under Paul Jones to end the drought.

And Wanderers left Turf Moor thankful that Blake proved he is still only human after all, following a second half miss that was as incredible as the goal itself.

However, it would be churlish to complain following a truly pulsating display from the Clarets, who compiled their best 90 minutes of the season so far to further fuel that early season optimism.

So what if Wolves were nursing an injury list as long as your arm - a headache that led manager Dave Jones to recall Joleon Lescott after 15 months out and reveal that substitute keeper Michael Oakes had volunteered to fill in as an emergency left back?

If Wanderers were looking for any sympathy for their plight, they were not going to find it against a squad of just 13 senior professionals and a clutch of raw rookies.

And the Clarets proved that, as long as Cotterill can keep calling on his vast experience, most teams in this division will know they have been involved in a game.

So breath it in, Burnley fans - because right now you have a team you can once again be proud of.

These are good times and the ball is rolling. The only downside is that keeping that ball rolling is going to require the backing of more fans than the slightly disappointing 13,869 present.

Cotterill has made no bones about the fact more clicks of the turnstiles mean more money -- and more strength to the squad.

Yet despite Wolves' poor following, the gate was still around three thousand down on the opening day clash with Sheffield United.

By my estimate that means around 1,500 less Clarets fans turned up this time to see a side that is still unbeaten and following a terrific away win at Watford. Some things just don't make sense!

Those who did turn up were rewarded with yet more evidence that Burnley are now a tough nut to crack.

And two successive clean sheets might easily have been three but for an early mistake by Frank Sinclair, whose poor back header from a hopeful punt upfield allowed Shaun Newton to toe-poke the ball inside Danny Coyne and slot Wanderers ahead.

Despite that blow, Coyne did not have a single save to make of note for the third game in a row.

Richard Chaplow - a real livewire all afternoon, stung Jones' gloves with a rising drive on nine minutes and then drilled a shot across goal with Wolves backing off.

The 15th minute goal might have rocked lesser teams, but Burnley hit straight back with Blake's early goal of the season contender.

Graham Branch instigated the move with a lightening break from midfield, but it was all Blake form there as he accepted the pass, cut inside Mark Clyde, outside Lescott and beat Jones with a deftest lick.

There was one more scare for the Clarets, when Kenny Miller - despite being offside when he raced clear - looked to be brought down from behind in the box by John McGreal as he shaped to shoot.

Thankfully, referee Colin Webster saw no foul, but strangely no dive either for a player already booked. Funny that!

Blake almost completed the comeback moments later with an audacious 35-yard free kick from the right touchline that almost caught out Jones at his near post.

And as Burnley put their foot to the floor in the second half, the Clarets captain was again involved in almost everything.

Both he and Richard Chaplow failed to convert a scramble caused by Moore's lovely cross.

And after Micah Hyde had crashed Mo Camara's cross from the opposite flank into the side netting, came the moment Blake really should have won the game.

Tony Grant carved Wolves open to release Michel Duff down the right and, when his low cross expertly picked out the unmarked striker 12 yards out, Wolves were lining up for the restart as Blake agonisingly pulled the ball wide.

Victory was that close, but you won't find any Burnley fans complaining in the current climate.