Little's at large

Bolton 1: Frandsen, pen 26

Clarets 1: Gray 55 SOME of the snipers have already dubbed Stan Ternent's Burnley side 'Dad's Army' after he added another couple of thirty-somethings to his squad over the summer.

But the knockers write the Clarets off at their peril, however, as Burnley proved on their First Division return that they will certainly be no pushovers and, at their best, appear to have enough ammunition to unsettle some of the supposed bigger guns.

Six of Burnley's starting line-up at the Reebok Stadium may now be over 30 but Ternent sets no store by birth certificates.

Summer signing Phil Gray will be 32 in October but he still evidently possesses a killer instinct in front of goal as he showed by diving in to head home Burnley's richly deserved 55th-minute equaliser.

Behind him the impressive pairing of Kevin Ball (35) and Paul Cook (33) pinned Bolton back as the Clarets looked for all three points to get their campaign off to a flying start.

And whenever things did look shaky, 35-year-old Mitchell Thomas proved that age is no barrier as he picked up where he left off last season by being in exactly the right place at the right time to provide two crucial blocks as Bolton were repelled.

The four were key players as Burnley made a highly encouraging start, although much of the credit must also go to Glen Little.

The Pike of the Turf Moor platoon, Little is often the butt of the dressing room banter.

But when it comes down to the serious business of winning football matches he is a ratings winner.

Three months ago he came off the bench to secure Burnley's First Division status with a stunning winner at Scunthorpe.

And on Saturday it was as a substitute again, following a pre-season injury, that he made such a massive impact. Bolton simply couldn't live with his invention and trickery as he weaved his way past white shirts to turn the tide Burnley's way.

After a slightly hesitant first half, Burnley needed someone to show that they belonged on the First Division stage and Little fitted the bill.

The home side, without a number of the players that took them to last season's play-offs but still with plenty of Premiership experience, didn't know what had hit them, as Little laid on Gray's equaliser and threatened to leave the hosts empty handed after they had earlier led through Per Frandsen's penalty.

"I felt we weren't retaining enough possession and I needed Glen to play," said Ternent of the substitution that changed the game.

"I couldn't start him because he's had an injury and I didn't think it was fair for him to play the full 90 minutes but in the second half he was spot-on and he played extremely well.

"He was more like the Glen Little we know and, as I've said to him, that's the standard he sets himself and that's what we expect of him because he's that quality of player.

"But we've got a squad of 18, 19, 20 players and that's what we've got to do to survive at this level.

"It was a good team performance and a lot of good individual performances which normally happens when the side plays well."

Burnley had lacked Little's spark early on amid a crackling atmosphere, although with the wily Cook prominent they just about looked to be holding their own until Bolton grabbed a 26th minute lead. Ian Cox did a fine job of curtailing the not inconsiderable threat of loan signing Isiah Rankin but for once the Bradford City striker enjoyed the upper hand when he recovered from a Cox challenge to slide the ball home.

Referee Bill Burns stopped short the celebrations having already blown, harshly, for Cox's challenge but justice was done when Per Frandsen beat Paul Crichton from the spot.

For a moment Burnley doubted themselves but recovered to get to half-time and should have been level with Steve Davis uncharacteristically heading wide from in front of goal from Lee Briscoe's pin-point cross.

"We were a little tentative in the first half, perhaps," admitted Ternent. "But in the second we were more like ourselves and it was a good performance in a tough but enjoyable derby match.

"I thought we played very well. They perhaps shaded the first half, we certainly shaded the second half so I suppose overall it was a fair result.

"The players have shown great character in adversity again and I'm happy with the point. "

That came thanks to Little who went close to levelling himself two minutes after entering the fray following a lovely link up with Cook and Gray.

He also had a hand in a double chance for Andy Cooke and Gray, neither of which was taken.

But when a quick-throw from the excellent Paul Weller released Little again, Gray made no mistake from the inch-perfect cross.

"Tippy's top drawer in there. Half a chance and he will bury it so that was a great start for Phil," said the boss.

Burnley were the only winner at that stage with Graham Branch adding to the threat up front.

However, they couldn't fashion a second and it needed a superb goalline clearance from Thomas, who had earlier thwarted Rankin, to stop new boy Ian Marshall robbing Burnley of their just desserts.