IT TOOK a little under 100 seconds for Burnley to wrap up the three points and ensure they retained top spot in Division One.

Goals from striker Ian Moore and midfielder Paul Weller killed off this match as a contest early in the second half but, while the scoreline suggested a cruise for the Clarets, if anything this game proved just how tough it is at the top.

The Millers arrived at Turf Moor second to bottom of the table with two points and left in the same predicament, but that statistic belies the fact that they made Burnley work for everything they got.

After the rollercoaster-ride excitement of the matches against the City slickers of Manchester and Bradford something had to give and for 45 minutes against Rotherham's honest artisans it did!

The opening half, from a Clarets point of view, was just plain dull.

They were not allowed to create a great deal by a stern United defence, while at the other end they rode their luck a touch.

But it is the measure of the current Clarets side that they know how to turn a game around and within the first three minutes of the second half two perfect passes from midfielder Glen Little had created goals for Ian Moore and Weller and whatever the Millers came up with from that point on was never going to be enough.

It was hardly surprising that it brought a reaction of relief from Burnley boss Stan Ternent, and shear frustration for Millers manager Ronnie Moore.

"It required a lot of patience on our part and I thought that Rotherham played particularly well in the first half," admitted Ternent.

"At no stage in that half had we got on top of them, so we had a chat at half-time and changed things round a little and as soon as we got behind them the goals came.

"In the end we were confident and comfortable winners, but I have to say that my defence was superb and did very well under the barrage of corners free kicks and long throw-ins that came at them."

But for Ronnie Moore the fact the pressure that had been exerted had brought no reward was difficult to swallow.

"I thought that 3-0 was a harsh outcome for us, but that is the nature of this division," said the Millers boss.

"To have had the chances we did in the first half and not put any of them away was a tragedy.

"Burnley never looked like scoring in the first half and I felt that we had coped with them well, but in the second half we got done good and proper.

"The difference between ourselves and sides like Burnley is that they have quality and quality players will always hurt you.

"My lads have battled so hard and fought like lion hearts, but we still have to be able to defend and we didn't defend well when we were put under the cosh.

"People will look at 3-0 and think we have been battered when we haven't been, but that is the reality of football at this level."

United's manager must have thought that he might be in for a pleasant afternoon after only three minutes of the contest when midfielder Stewart Talbot scraped the paint on the Burnley bar with a shot.

The Clarets responded with a Kevin Ball shot forcing United keeper Mike Pollitt into a good save, but that bright opening quickly faded into a drab contest in which neither attack showed enough guile to crack well-marshalled defences.

The best chance of the half fell to former Manchester United front-runner Mark Robins on 28 minutes.

Chris Sedgwick's cross from the right was perfectly placed for Robins who guided a powerful header to Clarets keeper Nik Michopoulos's right-hand post, but the Greek keeper produced a save right out of the top drawer. After such an anti-climax of a first half the Clarets needed to show some of their exciting away form to their home faithful and they did so within minutes of the second period getting under way.

It took just two minutes for Kevin Ball's stern challenge to set Burnley going forward, Little then looked up to send Ian Moore into the box and he left his marker in his wake before taking the ball wide round Pollitt and cutting back a shot into the far corner of the net.

A minute and a half later and Burnley were two goals to the good with Little this time playing in Weller through the inside right channel and the midfielder lifted his shot beyond the clutches of the on-rushing Pollitt.

It could have been three soon after as Alan Moore freed Arthur Gnohere but the left back's low cross found no takers.

But after the frenzy came another lull and the onus was on the Millers to attempt to claw their way back into the game.

They gave it a good shot with midfielder Kevin Watson and Robins threatening the Burnley goal, before former Claret Alan Lee than clipped the woodwork again after a neat step-over gave him room to shoot on the left.

Another stunning Michopoulos save then denied a back-post header by Robert Scott, but the Millers were slowly but surely getting ground down.

A minute from time the final nail was banged into the their coffin.

Gordon Armstrong played a fine through ball that substitute striker Gareth Taylor took on into the Rotherham box.

The Welsh international's attempt to round Pollitt ended in the keeper making a foul and a penalty was awarded.

All of a sudden there was a quick skirmish between the opposing players, but Pollitt received the only card, which was curiously yellow rather than red given the nature of his offence.

So Pollitt got the chance to rectify his mistake, but was easily beaten as Andy Payton fired home with perfection and ensured the Clarets were still riding high on top of the table.

RESULT: Burnley 3

I Moore 47, Weller 48, Payton 89 (pen) Rotherham United 0