"WE CAN still do it," is chairman Barry Kilby's defiant message as Burnley go chasing three more promotion points in tomorrow's Turf Moor showdown with play-off hopefuls Notts County.

The Clarets are five points adrift of an automatic promotion place after Wigan and Bristol Rovers both lost in mid-week.

But with seven matches to go, Kilby believes the Clarets, unbeaten in six games, can still close the gap.

"I think we have still got a chance. If we can get a sort of a run together we would be there," he said.

Successive home defeats by Preston and Luton last month, allied to dropped points against Bury a fortnight ago, suggested that Stan Ternent's side had left themselves with too much to do.

But they have hung in there as other sides have shown signs of faltering and last Saturday's crucial win at Cardiff coupled with Wigan's defeat to Preston on Tuesday night has kept the door to a place in Division One ajar.

"The screws are tightening and we've got Gillingham and Millwall to play. Bristol Rovers have hit a sticky patch and let's see how Wigan react now because it looks like Preston are away.

"To use the oldest cliche in football let's concentrate on the games as they come. But if we can get a run of wins we've got a chance of getting 80 to 90 points," Kilby added.

Last season, second-placed Walsall went up behind champions Fulham with 87 points.

The Clarets would need a further 17 points to reach that figure, although just over half that may be enough to secure the play-off place the club would probably have settled for at the start of the season. "I think we reckon it could take three more wins, unless something remarkable happens.

"That's stage one, and let's see if we can get six wins," said the chairman, who has budgeted for promotion this season or next. Eighth-placed Notts County have even less margin for error than Burnley as they look to close the gap on the top-six.

They look set to be unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 with Millwall last Saturday, while Burnley could re-call former Nottingham Forest striker Ian Wright.

Wright, who had a spell on loan from West Ham to County's city rivals before joining Celtic, is free from suspension and could start his first game for a month.

The 36-year-old goalscorer was sidelined by a Scottish FA ban but has stayed involved and to his credit was on the bench again at Ninian Park a week ago when suspended players aren't normally required to travel with the squad.

"That would have been an easy one to miss. But he's shown for every game.

"It would be great to think he could just pull off a few fireworks now," said Kilby.

Wright could partner top-scorer Andy Payton, who will be looking for his sixth goal in seven games.

Since agreeing a new three-year deal at Turf Moor, the 24-goal man has scored in both his appearances and Kilby was delighted to have secured the services of the division's leading marksman.

"We were all pleased because strikers are like rare gems. I think he's the envy of most clubs in our division.

"And since he signed he's been popping in the goals. He wanted to stay and we wanted him to stay so we were pleased to come to an agreement," the chairman added.

Andy Cooke (thigh), John Mullin (abductor muscle) and Gordon Armstring (dead leg) face late fitness checks before Ternent finalises his squad. Burnley from: Crichton, Little, Branch, Smith, Mellon, Mullin, Davis, Thomas, Cox, Cook, Johnrose, Payton, Wright, Jepson, West, Lee, Cooke, Brass, Harrison, Armstrong.

Notts County from: Ward, Holmes, Liburd, Redmile, Richardson, Ramage, Owers, Hughes, Darby, Dyer, Stallard, Farrell, Rapley, Gibson, Brough, Blackmore.

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