Blackpool keeper Phil Barnes had arrived at Turf Moor with five clean sheets behind him so it was perhaps fitting that West chose last night to end his goal drought.

The 29-year-old right back is in his fourth season with the Clarets and has almost 100 games under his belt. Despite scoring regularly for previous clubs Bury and Lincoln City he had come no nearer than the woodwork during his time at Burnley.

Nevertheless when Blake was brought down on the edge of the box it was West who was asked to strike the free kick and he drilled a fierce low shot under the wall and into the middle of the net.

"It was a good shot and Westy can strike the ball beautifully," said Ternent, who was considerably happier with the goal than his opposite number Steve McMahon.

"I was disappointed with the wall, the players have got be prepared to get hurt," he admitted. "They said they jumped but I think they jumped out of the way. You have got to stop the free kick.

"If the ball goes into the top corner there is nothing you can do about it but if it goes low into the middle of the net it is a problem. You have got to be brave but that killed us."

McMahon did not feel any better about the two goals that his injury hit side allowed Papadopoulos to score.

The Greek Under-21 striker had come on for Ian Moore shortly after Gareth Taylor replaced Robbie Blake and the pair linked up for the vital second goal in the 63rd minute.

Marlon Beresford's long clearance was nodded on by Taylor and Papadopoulos was first to react to the bouncing ball, looping it over the onrushing keeper with McMahon unhappy he was so slow to react.

The striker, who is 21 next week, has still only made two starts for Burnley, the first in this competition against Rushden last season.

And having opened his account in his 11th game, Papadopoulos waited only 12 minutes to net his second and stake a claim for a recall to the starting line-up.

If he was unhappy with the first two goals, McMahon was bemused by the third gifted by former Blackburn Rovers defender Simon Grayson's's handball in the box.

"Simon is an inexperienced pro and he should know you just can't raise your hands in the 18 yard box," he moaned. "It was a definite penalty."

Barnes, who had saved from the spot at the weekend denied Taylor his first goal of the season but Papadopoulos again showed he is both fleet of foot and sharp of mind as he was first to the loose ball and netted it confidently.

That was the signal for Ternent to withdraw the limping Paul Weller, despite the fact he had use all his three subs, because it was a job well done although there were some hairy moments.

That had looked unlikely throughout a first half that the Clarets had dominated with a display that built on the second half showing against Derby at the weekend.

Having named the 11 men that finished that game, and in the same 4-4-2 formation, Ternent professed himself happy although he said: "The balance down the left side could be a little better but sometimes you have to put square pegs in round holes. But we can improve."

Blake and Glen Little were at the heart of most of the good passing moves that punctuated the first period and they linked well on a number of occasions in a manner that offers great encouragement for the future.

Lee Briscoe should have finished off one Little cross, firing over from six yards, and in stoppage time Arthur Gnohere might well have doubled the advantage after a typically dangerous ball in from Briscoe.

Other chances came and went, often the final ball falling agonisingly close to Clarets players who could not quite put the game to bed. At the other end Beresford was enjoying a quiet game but the nagging feeling was that Blackpool might make Burnley pay for not making their superiority count with more goals.

That feeling grew as the introduction of Martin Bullock and John Murphy, allied to a switch to 4-4-2, enabled Blackpool to get on top for the first time. Murphy, last season's top scorer, really should have made it 1-1 when a defensive mix-up gifted him a great chance. But with only Beresford to beat he slid the ball wide.

It was to prove the pivotal moment and one that McMahon felt cost his side the chance of recording an upset. After they were 2-0 down John Hills did see a cross-cum-shot come back off the bar but there was no way back for the Seasiders.

BURNLEY 3

Scorers: West 13, Papadopoulos 63, 75

BLACKPOOL 0

Attendance...7,448