IT IS still six weeks before the clocks go back but at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon Burnley's players turned back time to the heady days of exactly a year ago.

For 45 minutes on Saturday they played the same brand of vibrant and enthralling football that saw them at the top of the table last autumn.

It was an incredible turnaround because at half time the question on everyone's lips had been: "Where will the Clarets get a goal from?"

Few would have thought that the answer would have been £1million man Robbie Blake.

Before the break he found himself filling in down the left flank once again, deprived of the place in the middle of the front-line he craves.

In fact throughout the first half the Clarets were very much this season's vintage - disjointed, dispirited and trailing.

Adam Bolder had hit the post with an early header but within seconds he had drilled the opener beyond recalled Marlon Beresford and it looked like another depressing day for Burnley.

Malcolm Christie hit the base of the post, the three central defenders had to work hard to make key challenges and Andy Oakes in the Derby goal was no more than a spectator.

But at half time Glen Little, left on the bench after a run of poor form, replaced Lennie Johnrose, Stan Ternent switched it to 4-4-2 and Blake was flung up front with Ian Moore.

"It was nice to back down the middle when the gaffer changed the system," admitted Blake who was making only his third start since his switch from Bradford.

"The gaffer had said we had to change our shape and for the first ten minutes we really got in their faces and scoring two quick goals certainly helped."

Blake almost got the first three minutes after the break when he stretched to reach Lee Briscoe's cross from the left but the ball went over the bar.

But the goal drought finally ended after 411 minutes with Blake very much part of it. His striker partner Ian Moore's pace and pressure forced Danny Higginbotham into a weak clearance from the by-line and the ball landed at Blake's feet.

The man accused of playing in diver's boots on the opening day then looked to be in ballet shoes as he danced around Chris Riggott and there was no doubt he did not dive as the England Under-21 defender chopped him down.

Blake had no hesitation in grabbing the ball and taking the spot kick and he drilled his shot beyond the diving Oakes to send the travelling fans wild.

Even better was to follow as the third goal of the season came within four minutes - a bit like buses, wait hours for one and two come at once.

Again Blake's twinkle toes, such a feature of his play at Bradford and one reason Ternent was willing to spend big on him, caused panic in the Derby box and his low cross was expertly converted by Rams' experienced defender Warren Barton.

Six games into the season he has the unusual claim to fame of being joint top Burnley scorer alongside Briscoe and Blake.

Those manic opening minutes set the tone for the rest of the match as it was the Rams who were run ragged and Burnley who bossed the show.

And if Blake was the man behind the two goals, Derby boss John Gregory had no doubt who changed the game.

"The difference between the two sides in the second was Glen Little," he admitted ruefully, a refrain common 12 months ago but not yet heard this time around.

Little knows he has not been on form and he can't have been too surprised to be left on the bench, a move that would have been unthinkable last season.

But it might just have been a managerial masterstroke by Ternent as he festered frustrated throughout the first half, witnessing his side's problems from the sidelines.

"Glen played quite well," was Ternent's low key assessment of Little's display down the right. "He has been having a lean time of it but I thought the whole team played well in the second half.

That was true but Little was the big catalyst as he baffled and bamboozled opponents like only he can. With Blake and Dean West as willing accomplices he regularly unlocked the Derby defence.

Gregory, who witnessed Little's rampaging play at first hand from the very edge of his technical area, is the type of manager who looks as if he kicks every ball. He managed to show huge self control to stop stepping a yard closer to pitch and tripping up the danger man.

Blake certainly appreciated the winger's efforts and he admitted: "Playing with Glen was great because he is an intelligent player, always looking for little balls in the box and the gaffer's changes paid off."

Time and again he ghosted past players and forced desperate lunges from defenders. Most Burnley attacks came down the right and it was little wonder - that was the wonder of Little.

As the home side grew increasingly frustrated and reduced to lumping balls forward Ian Moore's pace became another valuable weapon and his assertion that he can make an impact against tiring defenders was proved as three times he burst beyond the back line and got in shots on goal.

Burnley created more chances and carried more threat in those thrilling 45 minutes than for the rest of the season put together.

Throughout that second half a magnificent rainbow could be seen right over Pride Park and at one point it even seemed to land in the ground itself.

It may only have been three points but for Ternent and his players it must have felt like finding a pot of gold.

DERBY CO 1

Scorer: Bolder 8

BURNLEY 2

Scorers: Blake (pen) 51, Barton og 55

Attendance...22,343