STAN Ternent reckons he has finally uncovered a tasty M&M with no soft centre!

The Clarets chief will again put his faith in David May and Mark McGregor at the heart of his defence for the visit of high-flying West Brom.

The duo have provided a hard shell to help earn successive clean sheets at Mansfield and Crystal Palace.

And Ternent hopes the duo can help Burnley bag another good result tomorrow against a side he believes will contest an automatic promotion place in the Spring.

Ternent said: "May and McGregor have struck up a good partnership.

"I was searching for a partnership, and I had to write Mark off for about four of five months with his injury.

"But at the moment, they look the best pair so they'll start against West Brom."

A not-so-subtle shift in the defensive strategy has also helped stem the flow of goals that have blighted Burnley's season so far.

Ternent added: "The full team keeps you clean sheets. I changed the whole defence around at Mansfield, apart from David, and there's a bit of competition for places there now.

"But we've also stopped the full backs venturing forward as often as they had been doing.

"The FA cup win was a massive result for us, and a clean sheet at Palace was important.

"It's another point and it's a base to work from, and if we keep getting clean sheets, we will score goals, there's no two ways about that."

Burnley still feel aggrieved at the 4-1 defeat they suffered at the Hawthorns in only the second league game of the season last August.

Robbie Blake's early goal was cancelled out by a screamer from Artim Sakiri before Rob Hulse and a late Lee Hughes brace put an undeserved sheen on the Baggies victory.

But Ternent warned opposite number Gary Megson his side may start to get nervy as the First Division promotion race hots up in the new year.

He added: "The nearer you get to the finishing line, the more difficult it becomes, because you have to win.

"But Gary has a good, strong squad and I think they'll be there or thereabouts.

"It will be a tough match because they are a good, well-organised side with very good players.

"It was a tight game at their place until late in the game when it was still 2-1 and we could have got something out of it.

"We were chasing the game and they went down and got two goals, and then it looks like you've had a pasting.

"But we've been playing quite well lately and had a couple of clean sheets and another would be marvellous.

"We could do with a win to get us up and running and you couldn't pick a better time to do it."

Battle-hardened Ternent feels sympathy for disillusioned Burnley fans. A drastic fall-off in season ticket holders has hit the manager even harder in the pocket following the crippling cash crisis that has engulfed the Nationwide league.

He said: "I have my own theory on it. Crowds are always important to us and Burnley fans know their football.

"But it's a vicious circle. The most important thing at a football club is the first team, because if they are winning matches people will come and watch you.

"If the team isn't winning, the crowd doesn't come. Unfortunately, with what happened with the television companies, most football clubs had a shortfall.

"We're in a far better financial position than a lot of clubs, but it's still a difficult situation and it's no one's fault, other than the television companies.

"Whether people like me saying that or not, I couldn't give a monkeys, because that's the fact of the matter. Don't mention ITV Digital. That is the major cause of the problem. But it's no good burying your head in the sand. It's gone, so we have to get through, and we will get through."