IF they were to make a film of the Clarets' season it would have to star Vincent Price, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff as it has seen a series of defensive horror shows.

The latest collapse allowed Reading, third lowest scorers in the first division this season, to help themselves to five and only the woodwork stopped Burnley being hit for six for the third time this campaign.

Having let in six at home against Rotherham a few weeks earlier Turf Moor might be renamed Hammer House as some of the defending sent shivers down home fans backs. Incredibly only lowly Grimsby with 59 goals have conceded more than the Clarets with 55.

"Our fans were flooding out before the end and I don't blame them," said manager Stan Ternent. "If I could I would have gone with them."

The Royals have only scored 34 goals this season and almost a quarter of those have come against Burnley so it would be no surprise if the strains of "Can we play you every week?" had been coming from the away dressing room under the Cricket Field stand.

And no doubt the player singing loudest would have been midfielder Steve Sidwell. The flame haired former Arsenal player had netted the two late goals for Brighton a month earlier to deny Burnley victory and he would have gone one better at Turf Moor had it not been for heading against the bar in stoppage time.

Burnley never coped with his breaks from his role in the hole behind Nicky Forster and Ternent must be sick of the sight of him.

But the Clarets boss deserves credit for not making too much of the controversy that surrounded Sidwell's crucial first strike eight minutes before half time.

Paul Cook could not have been more angry if a spot kick had been unjustly awarded against him than he was when assistant referee Colin Harwood ruled his great tackle on John Salako had taken the ball out of play.

The fans on the Longside knew it hadn't, Cook certainly knew it hadn't, and even the Reading players seemed a little surprised. But the only man who mattered was the man with the flag.

He ruled it was out, the throw reached James Harper, his pass saw Sidwell get the wrong side of Arthur Gnohere and the ball was tucked under Marlon Beresford's body.

"Paul Cook said it was not out of play and they went straight down and scored," explained Ternent. "But there are no excuses for some of our defending."

He was not kidding but that first half turning point was followed by another crucial moment in the second half. By that stage an Ian Moore goal had given hope of an unlikely comeback for the home side after two great strikes from former England international John Salako had given Reading a 3-0 lead.

On both occasions fine crosses from the right, first from Graeme Murty and then Andy Hughes, found Salako on his own and twice he produced finishes the service deserved.

The Burnley goal, in the 55th minute, was a much scrappier affair as Moore lashed home his eighth goal of the season from close range after Dean West's free kick broke to him off the Reading wall.

That created at least a bit of belief and Burnley huffed and puffed in the hope of a second that might have set up a grandstand finish.

With 16 minutes left they were gifted a glorious opportunity as referee Roy Pearson took his other assistant's word that Gareth Taylor's shot had been handled by Adie Williams.

Alan Pardew felt it was harsh but the first man to react and grab the ball was sub Dimitri Papadopoulos.

He had just come on for the regular penalty taker Robbie Blake, successful six times out of six already this season.

Glen Little, Paul Cook, Dean West and Gareth Taylor have all taken, scored and missed penalties for Burnley but none of them had any chance of getting the ball off the young Greek. He stepped up, fired to the left and watched in agony as Marcus Hahnemann saved it.

"We were showing a bit of promise and got a penalty that would have made it 3-2," said Ternent. "We have got plenty of players who can take a pen but Dimi grabbed the ball and wanted to take it.

"He has scored penalties before, for the Greek Under 21 side, and whoever fancies it takes it."

It is a safe bet that Papadopoulos won't be taking the next one.

Just five minutes after it should have been 3-2 it was 4-1 as more poor defending by Gnohere allowed Reading sub Darius Henderson to get through on goal and go over the diving Beresford. The card was yellow when it might have been red and Beresford saved Forster's spot kick but that man Sidwell fired the rebound into the roof of the net.

In stoppage time Gnohere and Drissa Diallo allowed Forster to test Beresford again and this time it was Henderson who netted the loose ball.

In any other circumstances you could wax lyrical about the stunning strike from West that made it 5-2 but the fact is most of the home fans had gone by then, knowing it was only a consolation.

Six goals for Grimsby and Rotherham, four for the Gills and now five for Reading, no wonder the manager was bemused. He now has this week in training to try and make sure there is not another Nightmare on Defending Street at Highfield Road on Saturday.

BURNLEY 2

(I Moore 55, West 90)

READING 5

(Sidwell 37, 79, Salako 45, 52, Henderson 90)

At Turf Moor Att: 14,420