FOR 45 minutes at Turf Moor last night it looked as if the PFA might not need to send ballot papers to Burnley - the Clarets players were already on strike.

They were not exactly standing around warming their hands on braziers but they could have done with a picket line to stop Crewe's rampant strikers who were very much in business.

But after the break manager Stan Ternent made three swift changes and Burnley went back to work, eventually earning a share of the spoils in a breathless finish to another thrilling match and keeping their place at the top of the table.

The introduction of John Mullin and Andy Payton changed the shape of match and inspired the Clarets to rediscover their form of this season.

But as Ternent admits there is never a dull moment watching his side at the moment and having come back from two down at the break it looked as if they had thrown away a point as they were caught napping by a clever Crewe free kick in stoppage time.

Shaun Smith fed Kenny Lunt down the right and his inviting cross was nodded home by Robert Hulse.

That looked like that but the home side had other ideas. Lee Briscoe lobbed a long pass into the Crewe area and for the umpteenth time Gareth Taylor won the header. The ball fell to super sub Andy Payton and he gleefully smashed the ball home from ten yards.

There was still time for one last desperate attack by the Clarets but a winner was beyond them. If this level of excitement is going to be maintained Clarets fans will be on Valium before Christmas.

Three more goals confirmed Burnley's new found reputation as the kings of entertainment but there must be concern at the inability to keep them out at the other end.

Burnley could have scored a few more but, make no mistake, so could Crewe. The pace and movement of Rodney Jack and Hulse repeatedly created gaps at the back and a two goal deficit at the break could, maybe should, have been more.

If Burnley were slow off the mark at Norwich on Saturday, they were positively glued to the blocks last night.

Fears that Ternent might be forced to make wholesale changes were unfounded as only wingers Glen Little and Alan Moore were pronounced unfit. That meant Ian Moore, Paul Cook and Nik Michopoulos had all shaken off the injury problems suffered at Carrow Road.

Arthur Gnohere came in at left back with Lee Briscoe moving into midfield and Paul Weller returned to the starting line-up in place of Little down the right flank.

But Little and Moore are the creative heart of the side and without them the threat that has been carried all season was simply not there, allowing Crewe to seize the initiative.

When Lunt netted the opener in the 17th minute after the Clarets failed to clear a cross from Phil Charnock, it was no more than the visitors deserved.

That lead was doubled 11 minutes later with the most chaotic goal of the season. Nik Michopoulos made a great save to keep out a close range shot from Hulse. The ball flew up into the air and any number of players from both sides looked to make contact as it bobbled on the line.

There is no doubt it did finally go over the line but it looked as if the scorer would have to be decided by a draw on the pitch at half time until video evidence revealed Steve Davis had fired it against a prone Steven Foster who could therefore claim the last touch.

Three minutes later it should have been 2-1. Ian Moore got behind the Crewe defence, cut in from the left and was felled by Foster as he prepared to shoot.

It looked like a blatant penalty but Crewe boss Dario Gradi disputed it.

"I am just glad he did not send the player off because that would have been wrong," he said. That was not how the home fans saw it, believing Foster was the last man stopping a goalscoring opportunity.

And their sense of injustice grew as Ademole Bankole stood up straight to beat away Paul Cook's spot-kick.

The keeper had already produced a fine save to deny Kevin Ball but NIk the Greek had been kept more than busy at the other end. Jack was twice the unlucky man as he was denied at the near post and then in first half stoppage time when he was through on goal.

That save was a key one as if the gap had been three at the break there may have been no way back for Ternent's men.

As it was Mullin replaced Cook at the interval and Payton came on for Dean West seven minutes later after Ternent had seen Foster head wide from six yards, Jack hit a post and Hulse shoot wide of an open goal. Burnley's players piled forward and in the 62nd minute got their reward. Davis fed Paul Weller on the right, he beat his man and stood up a perfect cross that was begging to be converted. Taylor had been winning everything in the air and he plunged full length to head home.

It was now game on but the Clarets had to wait 20 minutes to level and again Weller was involved. This time he jinked into the box and was brought down by Smith, Payton picking his place and making sure that this time Bankole would not get near the ball. That was the signal for the dramatic finale with goals traded in stoppage time before everyone, on and off the pitch, could finally catch their breath.

So the Burnley bandwagon rolls on - just. They are the joint top scorers, alongside Manchester City, but only three of their first division rivals have conceded more. The players might have to vote to go on strike just so they can catch their breath.

RESULT: BURNLEY...3

Taylor 62, Payton 82, 90

CREWE...3

Lunt 17, Foster 28, Hulse 90

Attendance...13,964