Division Two: Notts County v Burnley - Pete Oliver's preview

ANDY Payton is backing Burnley's defence to rediscover its mean streak as the Clarets face a severe test of their mettle to launch the New Year.

Monday's game at Notts County is the first of three away League fixtures scheduled for January.

Trips to Chesterfield and Stoke City, plus Coventry City in the FA Cup, are also on the agenda with a solitary visit from Oldham Athletic breaking up a month on the road.

And after leaking four goals at Bury on Boxing Day, Burnley will be looking to tighten things up again at Meadow Lane in a bid to register only their third away win of the season.

That setback at Gigg Lane was followed by Tuesday's win over Oxford, in which Burnley needed a Payton hat-trick to make up for giving away two sloppy goals.

However, Burnley's leading scorer believes the Clarets' back four and goalkeeper Paul Crichton, whose goals-against record of 19 is still as good as both Wigan and Preston and bettered only by Bristol Rovers, have shown the credentials this season to bounce back.

"They have been brilliant and I think Paul Crichton has kept 14 clean sheets or something.

"Our goal difference is very good this season and we are hoping to keep a few more clean sheets in the next few games," he said.

Notts County desperately need a win to restore their hopes of getting back into the top six in the second half of the season after a disastrous run of just two wins in 14 games. But Payton is looking for Burnley to enhance their own promotion credentials by building on their mid-week success against Oxford.

"They are all big games now, no matter who we are playing. We've just got to try and keeping it going. Winning breeds confidence so hopefully we can keep going," he added.

Burnley, so invincible at home, have won fewer away games than any other side in the Second Division's top nine.

However, the defeat at Bury was only the third time they have left an opponent's ground empty-handed.

And chairman Barry Kilby is hoping that Stan Ternent's men will come through their latest test and keep picking up points on their travels to stay among the pacesetters.

"We have got a fabulous home record but we've got a tough month coming up," Kilby admitted.

"We've got three away and one at home in the league, unless we beat Coventry in the Cup and then we've got just two away.

"Eight points would be a decent haul from that which would probably keep us about where we are. So it's steady away and a matter of holding our nerve. Only time well tell."

Kilby is happy, however, at Burnley's current position in the play-off zone as the Clarets prepare to kick-off the second half of their campaign. "If you had offered me this at the start I would have settled for it, and I think most supporters would be the same.

"Quite a few teams up there keep winning and it's tough at the top. But the top sides have still got to come to Turf Moor and we've been away to most of them, apart from Notts County on Monday and Gillingham," he added.

County's rookie boss Gary Brazil is also on the clean-sheet trail again after they stemmed the recent flow of goals in a goalless draw at Reading on Tuesday.

"Keeping a clean sheet was very important to us. It gives the defence and everyone a boost and we can take that into the Burnley game.

"It's something we were doing early on in the season, keeping things very tight. So I was pleased more than anything for Darren (Ward) and it's something we can work on between now at Monday to try and keep it tight," said Brazil.

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