BURNLEY failed to spoil Portsmouth's promotion party but, for the second successive game, the Clarets were left to rue the failure to be awarded a penalty.

And to rub salt into their wounds, inside 60 seconds Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov netted the goal that secured Pompey's return to English football's top table.

"You are not going to get that sort of decision here," complained Ian Moore, who was convinced he was shoved over by defender Arjan de Zeeuw 18 minutes from time.

"If that challenge had been made in the centre circle it would have been given, so why not in the penalty box? I just waited for the ball to come down and he went over the top of me.

"I was in on goal and you are not going to go down there are you? But I felt the ref was weak and he gave them a penalty that was a bit dubious.

"To not give me a penalty and then see them go down the other end was hard, especially as Robbie Blake was denied a similar one at Norwich at the weekend."

If the penalty decision was harsh, so was the luck for keeper Nik Michopoulos who made a bold effort to keep out Todorov's close range drive after a great low ball in from Nigel Quashie left him with the goal at his mercy.

Michopoulos kept his place despite his howler at Carrow Road and he repaid the manager's faith with an impressive performance that saw him reel off a string of fine saves as well as make a number of key excursions from his area.

Quashie was twice foiled by the Greek stopper but his best effort was a near post stop from Lee Bradbury who spent most of the night trying to prove why he cannot shed the nickname of 'Badbuy'.

On one occasion in either half he even showed some smart footwork when rushing out of his area and if he is not to be offered a new contract, he might want a few clips from last night to send off to prospective employers.

"Nik played very well and we also put some brave blocks in at times," said boss Stan Ternent. "But they are a good set of lads and we expect that."

Before the game what he also expected was his players to make it hard for the home side and at times in the first half they controlled the game with Ternent admitting: "We looked quite comfortable."

Burnley played some fine flowing football in that opening period, clearly relishing the chance to blow Pompey's promotion bubble.

They had all of the early play with Moore a real threat in his right sided role, having been played on the other flank at Norwich at the weekend.

He got in one early shot and had de Zeeuw troubled on more than one occasion. The disappointing thing was that Moore effort, after just 90 seconds, was the only one Shaka Hislop had to save.

Ternent had to make an early change as Brad Maylett replaced the injured Dimitri Papadopoulos on the left flank but it did not disrupt Burnley's rhythm.

It was a bright start against a team that was clearly living on its nerves after the shock defeat by Sheffield Wednesday. But nervous stomachs on and off the pitch looked certain to be settled when sloppy defending by Dean West ended with him tripping Gianluca Festa in the box. But before you could say "Alka Seltzer", Paul Merson had thumped the penalty against the underside of the bar and it had bounced to safety.

That miss seemed to allow the visitors to grow in confidence as the home side did the opposite but Burnley failed to make the most of some good positions as players took the wrong options.

Blake should have picked out Maylett in the inside left channel but didn't. Likewise Weller could have fed in Moore who had made a lung bursting run but he shot instead.

The only concern came as the home side finished the side in the ascendancy. Arthur Gnohere, in at left back for the injured Lee Briscoe, got Graham Branch out of jail with an interception after Bradbury got onto a weak back header.

The striker shot wastefully wide after a great pass by Paul Merson put him clear and twice in stoppage time before the interval Michopoulos made saves, with his legs from Quashie and a more comfortable one from Merson.

After the break the home side continued to push forward, willed on by an expectant crowd and Ternent in the 52nd minute opted to replace Maylett with Matty O'Neill who failed to take his first chance to impress after coming back from a month on loan at Swansea.

"I took him off because he wasn't playing well enough," said Ternent bluntly.

A sustained spell of Pompey pressure followed with Michopoulos kept busy and Paul Weller, West and Steve Davis all doing some heroic defending.

But in the 67th minute Gareth Taylor was given the clearest chance to give Burnley a lead. A break from pressure saw Robbie Blake produce a great cross-field pass but Taylor dragged a left foot shot wide of Shaka Hislop's goal and the Pompey stopper did not have to make a serious save all night.

That was even the case as the Clarets mounted a desperate late assault on the home goal. Richard Chaplow came on for his second game in the closing minutes as Ternent sacrificed Gnohere but still the goal would not come.

Having delayed their party on Saturday they were clearly determined not to have another postponement as they defended in numbers and for their lives.

The final whistle sparked a pitch invasion of ecstatic fans and the Burnley players got off as quickly as they could.

But a fifth straight away defeat will have guaranteed a long journey home and another reflection on a penalty that got away.

PORTSMOUTH 1

Scorer: Todorov 73

BURNLEY 0

At Fratton Park Att: 19,221