Taylor on target to send Clarets further ahead

COMING soon to a first division ground near you - "Lethal Weapon 4", starring Gareth Taylor's head.

Earlier this season the big striker was left out of Mark Hughes' Wales squad for their final World Cup qualifier.

His response was simple: "I will just try and do my best for Burnley".

And with five goals in the last six games that is exactly what he has done.

His total of eight headed goals have been a major factor in Burnley's rise to the top of the table but he will be the first to acknowledge that to shoot down the opposition you need someone to load the bullets.

That is why he loves waiting in the box when Paul Cook is pulling back his left peg. When the Clarets won an early free kick on the left you could almost hear Taylor licking his lips.

The goal hungry striker is not exactly a secret weapon, after all Mariners boss Lennie Lawrence had been singing his praises before the match, but when a typically accurate free kick came in Taylor found himself alone at the far post to head home beyond the exposed keeper Danny Coyne.

The pair are becoming a double act to rival Morecambe and Wise - and last night's effort certainly had Clarets fans smiling.

To be honest there was not too much else to get excited about on a night that was all about winning and moving further clear at the top of the table.

The home fans had given a well deserved ovation to the Clarets legends who paraded around the pitch before the start, stars of the club's great European nights in the 1960s.

And while last night's game never hit those heights, the current squad moved another three points closer to becoming legends in their own right. If they can make it back to the top flight, it will be they doing a lap of honour in years to come.

Any such parade would be led by boss Stan Ternent. Having named an unchanged side for four successive games he was forced to make one change to his side, Graham Branch coming in at left back for suspended Lee Briscoe. It was Branch's first start of the season but he performed as if he had been there since the start.

"It is great to be back playing again and lads are playing really well," he said. "We have been playing some very good football and we have got a brilliant bunch of lads."

But the lads could have been one down as the opening goal could easily have come at the other end, on loan Blackburn Rovers defender Marlon Broomes firing at Nik Michopoulos when left unmarked in the second minute.

But within seconds the struggling Mariners were one down, thanks to Taylor's header, and the game, as it turned out, was won.

For the rest of the first half Burnley had the bulk of possession and repeatedly exploited the acres of space that Grimsby allowed them behind the full backs down both flanks.

Paul Weller and Dean West provided crosses from the right, Cook and Glen Little did the same down the left. Taylor headed one chance wide, a low Cook cross skimmed across the six yard box and beyond everyone and Ian Moore forced Danny Coyne to make a save after a smart one two with Weller.

Before the match Ternent had spoken about the need to find more goals but as he said: "We are scoring more than the opposition."

Grimsby had brief moments of pressure in the first half but Michopoulos was again enjoying a quiet game, although not quite such an armchair ride as against Coventry.

After the break neither team created much of note in the early stages but just before the hour Burnley looked certain to be given a penalty when Cook and Little combined to give Moore the ball in the area.

The striker tumbled under a combined challenge of four defenders as he was preparing to shoot and when you have gone 13 games without a goal there is no reason for you to go down.

But the referee waved away Burnley protests and Ternent said: "It was a blatant penalty and I have seen it on the monitor but that is George Cain for you."

A converted spot kick would have settled nerves that seemed to grip the fans who had to watch their team grind out a win.

Michael Boulding should have made more of a chance that was created by some rare defensive uncertainty but he ended up shooting weakly at Miochopoulos on the turn from close range.

And in the very last minute substitute Wayne Burnett was given the chance to snatch a point but his lob was too weak to cross the line and the Greek keeper was able to turn round and grab the ball on the line and record another precious clean sheet.

That chance might not have mattered if Glen Little's sweet shot had not smacked back off the crossbar two minutes earlier.

Incredibly Burnley, who started the game bottom of the fair play league, conceded just two free kicks all night and with several players walking a disciplinary tightrope Ternent will have been delighted that there was not a yellow card in sight.

Taylor is suspended for the trip to Crystal Palce a week today and he made way for Andy Payton late ont does but with Alan Moore fit again Ternent does at least have options.

But those selection issues are for next week. This weekend it is a case of the manager and players putting thier feet up and watching the pack try and close the gap at the top.