More Moore's please!

FOR Clarets fans at the moment it is a case of the Moore the merrier.

Striker Ian Moore and substitute midfielder Alan Moore fired in the goals that served up success at the New Den - but they did so much more (sorry - awful pun!)

Both the million pound man and the Republic of Ireland international threatened almost all game long as the Clarets stretched the home side on their way to making it three wins from three League outings, Burnley's best start for 13 seasons.

While they were punching holes in the Millwall defence, defenders Steve Davis and Ian Cox were excelling at Lion taming.

And Burnley boss Stan Ternent was rightly delighted at what his side had achieved in sweltering conditions at one of football's most hostile cauldrons.

"I am delighted with all my players. The conditions were very draining but we were lively and pushed forward well for two good goals that capped a good performance," said Ternent.

"All in all it was a good day's work. We defended really well and then when we got a break we did what was needed.

"We had a little luck, which you always need, but we held on well to what we had."

That little bit of luck came in various guises. The Clarets were fortunate that Millwall's striker, Steve Claridge and Richard Sadler, both hit the woodwork with the home side's best two chances and then that referee David Pugh was prepared to consult his assistant as they protested that he had awarded a penalty incorrectly four minutes from time.

Pugh did not have the happiest of afternoons.

The Millwall fans howled in agony and roared with aggression, as they perceived they had been denied penalties on at least three previous occasions.

And then when Pugh pointed to the spot he was convinced by the Burnley players to reconsider and gave a free kick on the edge of the penalty area rather than the penalty.

The Millwall players also have a penchant for letting their temperatures rise along with those of their fans, and winger Steven Reid was sent off for alleged foul and abusive language.

It brought a heated end to a game that Millwall boss Mark McGhee as "a good game that was really neck and neck."

However, it started in less dramatic style with the Clarets concentrating on keeping the Lions quiet.

There only setback was the loss of left-back Gordon Armstrong with a thigh strain after 16 minutes, but it did bring the introduction of Alan Moore.

And he was at the epicentre of the first real chance when he was picked out by Ian Moore and then set up Kevin Ball but Millwall keeper Tony Warner was out quickly to stifle the shot. The home side's first chance came when Stuart Nethercott fired a ball forward, Burnley keeper Nik Michopoulos lost the ball under pressure from Richard Sadler but he managed to recover before Claridge could win the loose ball.

On 26 minutes Michopoulos looked far more assured when he saved from Sadler after he met a free kick pumped in by Reid.

But the Clarets were beginning to produce the more cogent attacks and ten minutes before half-time Alan Moore traded a neat wall pass with Glen Little and sent a low drive a yard wide of Warner's left-hand post.

Matters really pepped up as the interval approached and in the space of four minutes Sadler forced a good save out of Michopoulos with a shot on the turn, then Gareth Taylor headed an Ian Moore cross into the six yard box but Alan Moore's header was saved by Warner and soon after Alan Moore fired another low drive narrowly off target.

Claridge came closest to breaking the deadlock 12 minutes into the second half when he met Matt Lawrence's deep cross with a back post header that thumped against the upright, but Burnley retorted with a fine strike from Paul Cook whose effort was tipped over by Warner.

Finally the defences cracked and it was in spectacular style.

Ian Moore chased down a through ball but Lions' experienced defender Sean Dyche was favourite to win the ball.

Sadly for former Chesterfield defender Dyche, his keeper had decided that he should take control.

As Warner arrived at the top of his box Dyche found himself unsure of his next move and in the ensuing mayhem the ball broke for the predatory Ian Moore and he danced into the clear and rolled the ball into an empty net.

Within three minutes of that goal Arthur Gnohere was brought on for his Clarets League debut in which he shone, and within five minutes the second goal had arrived.

It came in some style with a ball forward being met by a perfectly cushioned header by Gareth Taylor to put Alan Moore in and his thundering shot across Warner gave the keeper no chance and it ripped into the net via the inside of the far post. Inspired by eager midfielder Tim Cahill, Millwall gave it their best shot but towards the end their fraying tempers took the edge off their cutting edge.

With 16 minutes to go another dream chance went begging for the home side as Cahill's cross found Sadler unmarked but his powered his header against the crossbar.

McGhee threw on Giovanni Savarese and then came the first penalty appeal as some Millwall players and the entire Blue section of the New Den crowd believed that Lee Briscoe had intentionally handled a cross, even though it was more a case of the ball playing man.

With nine minutes remaining David Livermore threaded a pass through to Claridge, but Michopoulos was out quickly to clear with his feet. Another optimistic penalty appeal was waved away and finally came the farcical finale that ended in no penalty and Reid being dismissed.

While Millwall got over-heated in the sun, the Clarets kept their cool and in the end that was probably the major factor behind an impressive away success.

Let's have some Moore like that (sorry again!).