EVERY season brings its share of blood, sweat and tears.

The visit of Wimbledon to Turf Moor fortunately saw no blood spilled and there were no tears for the home side, but the Londoners certainly made the Clarets sweat.

It is often remarked by managers that no side can control the whole 90 minutes of a game and Burnley found themselves to be no exception as they were made to defend a 3-1 half time lead.

Despite the shock of an early goal, the Clarets had been on top in the opening 45 minutes and deserved their lead --- even if it was courtesy of two comic moments from Dons keeper Kelvin Davis.

But the gloves were off in the second half and, driven by the combative Neal Ardley, the Dons took the game to Burnley and the hosts only just had enough to survive the onslaught.

Burnley boss Stan Ternent was not surprised and said: "They are a good side and Wimbledon will be thereabouts at the end of the season.

"We had to withstand a lot of attacks, but in the end it was three points well taken and a good result"

While Burnley were seemingly cruising at half-time perhaps everyone inside Turf Moor should have known it would be far from plain-sailing after a stunning start by the Dons.

The game was just 10 minutes old when the home defence stood static as the Londoners swept down the right flank.

Whether they were waiting for a flag that never came, or were just caught cold, the Clarets paid for their inertia as David Neilsen cut in and fired a right-foot drive low past Nik Michopoulos's right hand into the corner of the net.

If the Greek keeper felt bad about that one, it was nothing compared to the way his opposite number was feeling 60 seconds later.

A run-of-the-mill backpass seemed to put Davis in a panic and his attempt to clear led merely to him ballooning the ball into the air and Alan Moore, making his home debut, was on hand to steer the ball home.

The Republic of Ireland international was to be one of the Clarets' main inspirations and the only downside for the left-sided midfielder was that he was booked for the second game in succession.

Apparently he lacks the luck of the Irish when it comes to referee's notebooks.

Back on level terms and the Clarets upped the pace with striker Ian Moore teasing the life out of the Dons defence.

His first claim for a penalty came to nothing but his second, after being made the filling in a sandwich of two defenders, did and Paul Cook made it two goals in two games from the penalty spot.

For Davis in the Dons goal the jitters continued as he almost miscued another backpass and then watched in horror as Alan Moore's shot-cum-cross left him for dead and hit the woodwork, and the Clarets last attack of the first half was to see him undone once again.

While under pressure for a high ball, Davis seemed odds on for a simple catch. The ball went into his arms, flew up out of them and there was Glen Little waiting to prod a pass sideways and Gordon Armstrong was on hand to hit the net.

The signs remained good for Burnley and on 58 minutes skipper Steve Davis made a positive run and, having received a wall pass from Ian Moore, chanced his arm with a chip that clipped the Dons bar.

But there was evidence that the tide may be turning and within the next five minutes a Neilsen run and then a Kevin Cooper free kick had forced hurried clearances in the home defence.

On 64 minutes the game was back in the melting pot. Cooper delivered a deep cross from the left and, while the home defence will have been disappointed that no one got near a ball that had travelled so far, striker Neil Shipperley stood alone at the back post and nodded the ball into the net.

Tails up and sensing a point the Dons went for it and came within a whisker of getting some reward when David Connolly, captured from Feyenoord this summer, held the ball up before turning inside and releasing a rasping drive which beat Michopoulos's left hand only to see it hit the inside of a post and come out.

An Ardley shot soon after ensured Michopoulos remained on his toes, but after their slice of luck the Clarets regained their composure and finished in the ascendancy -- a fact underlined by Little's stunning mazy run into the Dons box in injury time.

So in the end a job well done, even if it did mean using up a few cans of anti-perspirant along the way.

RESULT:

Burnley 3

Scorers: A Moore 11, Cook (pen) 29, Armstrong 42

Wimbledon 2

Scorers: Neilsen 10, Shipperley 64