Climbing Clarets prove it is the thought that counts

No one uses his head better than Gareth Taylor and his goal in the tenth minute was the seventh off his loaf this season and a fourth in five games.

But it was Paul Cook who showed there is more to using your head than powering home crosses when he set up the second -- a goal which ensured the Clarets went to the top of the pile once more.

Highfield Road once saw a memorable free-kick routine involving Willie Carr, a flick up and a spectacular Ernie Hunt volley that is still regularly shown on television. For classic simplicity Glen Little's effort on Saturday was just as unforgettable.

When referee Frazer Stretton moved a free-kick into the box after dissent by the Coventry players the home team lined up near the goal-line expecting the ball to be blasted towards the net.

So many times free kicks from 12 or so yards end up either in the wall or the stand behind the goal. Not this one.

Captain Cook took the chair in a players' meeting over the ball and simply rolled a left foot pass to Little who was five yards from goal and could not miss with the home defence still looking the other way.

It looked like a brilliantly planned and perfectly executed training ground routine but manager Stan Ternent was not claiming any credit.

"I thought they were very bright but it was nothing to do with me," he said. "When they were over the ball Paul Cook told Gareth and Paul Weller that he was going to give it to Glen who had found some space."

It was stunning in its simplicity and effectively killed the game. As Cook was using his head Coventry keeper Magnus Hedman and defender Richard Shaw were losing theirs, the latter taking a swing at the Swede as they held an immediate inquest into what had gone wrong.

"There was a bit of an argument but nothing to it really," said Sky Blues boss Roland Nilsson. "Richard tried to push him off and Magnus walked forward instead of back and he got one in the face. There was nothing for me to defuse at half time, it was over.

"The problem was our players were wondering what the referee was doing. He booked the wrong player for the foul on the edge of the box and then moved the ball forward when they protested. The referee did not have a good game."

But the official, Frazer Stretton, appeared to book young defender Calum Davenport for kicking the ball away which would then mean he was right to move the free kick into the box.

Ternent was certainly not willing to criticise the ref who booked three of his players, Taylor, Cook and Little.

"When we got the second goal he moved play forward because of dissent," he said. "The referee was working to order. We had a couple booked and they had a couple booked."

The bookings apart it was a very professional performance by the Clarets who took full advantage of the fact that Coventry were missing a number of key players through injury and suspension.

The Sky Blues had enjoyed a fortnight off since they lost their first league game under Nilsson at Millwall but they never came close to threatening impressive Burnley.

The Clarets have now conceded just one goal in four games that have brought ten points and catapulted them above the scrum at the top of the table.

November always looked like it offered them the chance to get a good run going again and if they can beat Grimsby at Turf Moor on Friday night there is every chance that Ternent will be succeeding Nilsson as manager of the month.

This clean sheet was by far the most comfortable as a solid display from front to back ensured that Nik Michopoulos had his quietest afternoon of the season.

The Sky Blues only had one weak header that could count as an effort on target and the Greek keeper dealt comfortably and impressively with the few dangerous crosses that came into his area.

In front of him Ian Cox was in great form, first alongside Arthur Gnohere and in the second half in partnership with Kevin Ball.

In first half stoppage time the experienced Ball replaced Lee Briscoe who had got a fat eye early on and then suffered a slight hamstring strain.

Briscoe is already ruled out of the match against Grimsby through suspension, meaning Ternent will have to change his team for the first time in four games. But with Ball impressing, Steve Davis coming back to fitness and Graham Branch and Alan Moore fit again, he will at least have options.

Moore returned to first team action for the first time since the defeat at Norwich City with a comfortable 15 minutes at the end of the game.

That match at Carrow Road was the start of Burnley's poor run that saw them lose ground after their electric start to the season.

But the season is now well and truly back on track. High scoring wins have been replaced by the defensive resilience more often seen from Ternent teams but enough goals continue to come.

Both Taylor and Little now head the Clarets scoring charts with seven apiece and they are the in-form men in front of goal. Little may be the star of the show but there is no doubt that Taylor is the headmaster.

But it is the combined efforts of the whole team that has taken them to such lofty heights and, if they are to stay there, it will be down to the whole squad.

At least, like Taylor, they are definitely heading the right way!

COVENTRY CITY...0

BURNLEY...2 (Taylor 10, Little 34)

Attendance...16,849