Worthi tribute

MOST people would send a card. Andy Payton scores a hat-trick.

Mr and Mrs Payton celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on Monday and, to keep the celebrations, going the dutiful son duly bagged three goals in 26 minutes which he then dedicated to his parents.

And the Clarets must now be hoping he's still banging them in when the Ruby wedding comes around because that gift would be worth seeing.

It's a long shot as Payton would then be 36 but, judging by the way he's getting better with age, don't write it off.

A fractured toe meant a delayed start to the new campaign for last season's 27-goal striker but Payton clearly wanted to make up for lost time as he shattered Hartlepool's Worthington Cup dreams.

The Third Division side were a revelation for 45 minutes as the Clarets rekindled memories of past campaigns in this competition with an abject first-half showing.

Trailing by a single goal at the break was the most Burnley deserved as they were booed off by the majority of a paltry crowd of 3,319.

But manager Stan Ternent isn't the type to wait for things to improve and grasping the nettle he threw on Payton and Graham Branch.

With a little tinkering with the formation and the introduction of John Mullin shortly afterwards completing the transformation, it was left to Payton to take centre stage and make the return leg in a fortnight's time a guaranteed passport to round two.

Finishing is Payton's speciality, although Steve Davis rivalled his second with a stunning strike of his own as the game was pushed beyond Pool's reach with two goals in the last two minutes.

The double-blast capped a tremendous fightback from the Clarets who were a different side in the second half thanks to the presence of Payton, Branch and Mullin and a twin-pronged attack down the left of Glen Little and Mitchell Thomas. Payton had already passed up two heading chances when he cancelled out Tommy Miller's 36th-minute opener from the spot.

The pace of Mullin won Burnley a penalty following a despairing lunge from Barry Ferguson and Payton rammed home the spot-kick.

And four minutes later he made it 2-1 when glancing home a mouth-watering Little cross as Burnley's passing fell sweetly into place.

The Hartlepool goal was now resembling a shooting range with Martin Hollund bravely deflecting the bullets.

He and Davis waged a private duel for a spell as the Clarets' skipper met a constant stream of corners, while the Norwegian also saved from Little, Branch and Briscoe.

Davis then saw a powerful header cleared off the line by Darren Knowles before the defender finally got his reward with a cracking volley that fizzed past Hollund.

With the return trip to the North-East looking more appealing by the minute, Payton then ensured there would be no way back for Pool as he completed his third hat-trick for the club.

There was a suggestion of off-side when he collected Paul Weller's knock-down to hook the ball in, but Payton won't remember that detail when admiring the match ball in years to come.

It was a case of ruthless efficiency as Hartlepool had the rug whipped out from under their feet.

For the first half they had been by far the more composed and constructive side as Burnley struggled to string two passes together and made heavy weather of getting over the half-way line.

Lively former Blackburn Rovers youngster Lee Fitzpatrick wasted an early chance and Kevin Henderson passed up an opportunity to score the goal he craved on his Turf Moor return when shooting over the top after Paul Crichton had blocked Anth Lormor's shot.

However, the goal they deserved came Hartlepool's way nine minutes before the break when Miller latched onto Henderson's flick to fire past Crichton with the aid of a big deflection off Mitchell Thomas.

Pool had earned their luck but, once the dangerous Lormor had headed wide after the interval, the fates turned against them as Payton picked that moment to mark his return and Burnley turned on the style