WHEN Stan Ternent signed Paul Gascoigne some people suggested that it was effectively the end for the player.

The man who has spent virtually all his career at the highest level would not cope in the hurly burly that is the Nationwide first division.

But Pavarotti is not just able to sing at the Albert Hall, I guarantee he can belt out a great tune in the shower.

If you have talent, it will flourish whatever the stage and although there was no hiding the fact he ran out of Gaz, Burnley's new signing did more than enough to illustrate why Stan Ternent was so keen to bring him to Turf Moor.

He may have found the pace a bit frenetic at times but he has hardly played for the last month and still looked to have that touch of class.

It wasn't just the accuracy and variation of his passing, be it long or short range the ball invariably found its target.

It wasn't simply the willingness to break forward in support of the attack, searching for space wherever it could be found.

And it wasn't just the undoubted dead ball ability that would have brought him a debut goal but for the excellence of Alan Combe in the Bradford City goal.

It was the whole Gazza package that suggested that he will have a positive impact in the next month, a period that will decide the club's fate.

It may be he has to be used for bursts of an hour to maximise his potential but there was enough evidence last night to suggest that an hour of Gascoigne can still prove to be devastating.

The effect off the pitch, so evident on Sunday, was there again against the Bantams as he received another rapturous reception.

And once again the side responded in the right way with a bright start that brought one goal and could have brought others.

That other new kid of the Turf block David Johnson continues to be a determined scene stealer from Gazza and he was involved in the two key early moments.

In the 13th minute he looked certain to convert Ian Moore's low cross after his partner himself had been freed by Glen Little. That he didn't appeared to be because of a tackle by Gunnar Halle.

Stan Ternent was in no doubt it was a penalty, nor was the player or the vast majority of 20,000 fans but the man who counted, referee Tony Bates, waved the appeals away.

"Ridiculous," complained Ternent who cared little about the possibility of censure for blasting the official. "That was a bang to rights penalty."

The reprieve for the Bantams was short lived as Johnson did net seven minutes later. The source was a right wing corner from Little, headed down by Ian Cox and lashed home from virtually on the line by the loan star.

Johnson has been at Burnley for just over a week and with two goals in two games is fast becoming a fans' favourite.

Ternent's other current loan signing Marlon Beresford has been a favourite among Clarets fans for years and he underlined why he is still keeping out Nik Michopoulos with the flying save that denied Eoin Jess an immediate reply.

But before half time Burnley had the chances to wrap the game up and heap more misery on their rivals from across the Pennines.

Unfortunately Combe, like Beresford a loan signing who is making a case for becoming permanent, denied Moore three times in the space of three minutes. On the first occasion it was a good stop from a long range drive but the next two came when Moore should have done better.

Tony Grant released Johnson down the left and Moore collected the ball in the area, turned his defender and got to see the whites of Combe's eyes. But if he has a weakness it is the lack of killer instinct that would see him regularly beating keepers when he is one on one and so both his first effort and follow-up were well blocked by the Bradford man.

What is not in doubt is his willingness to run all night and create chances for others and seven minutes before the break Moore again provided Johnson with a chance but he was unable to turn the ball home under pressure.

Gareth Taylor, the leading scorer with 15 this season, is available for Saturday's trip to Sheffield United, and Ternent is going to have a big decision to make because Moore and Johnson combined well again at the start of the second half, this time Combe diving low to stop the latter's shot.

But at this stage Johnson and Gascoigne, so influential before the break, were showing signs of tiring and that seemed to lift the Bantams.

Whether it was the boos from the crowd, remembering his links with Blackburn Rovers, or the battle with Mitchell Thomas, Ashley Ward was proving a real handful. It was therefore no surprise that he had a hand, or to be more accurate head, in the equaliser 12 minutes from time. His nod down was chested down by Claus Jorgensen and he bundled the ball over the line. If he pleased his manager with that goal he infuriated him minutes later when he failed to shoot with a clear sight of goal.

"He only had to hit it and he scores or turn it across to Stuart McCall," moaned Nicky Law.

But in the closing minutes it was Burnley who threatened to win it. Andy Payton gave a lovely little cameo performance after he came on five minutes from time for a shattered Gazza.

He immediately fired a shot narrowly over the bar and then went even closer with a header. In between times he ended a flowing move with a pass to Kevin Ball who became the latest man to be denied by Combe with another fine stop.

So a point apiece it was, a result that will just about do for both sides at either ends of the first division table. And it was a satisfactory start for the man of the moment as he tries to inspire his new club to glory.

BURNLEY...1

Johnson 20

BRADFORD CITY...1

Jorgensen 78

Attendance:...19,479