MICKY Mellon believes Cardiff City could present the Clarets with an even tougher test than Derby County when league points are up for grabs again at Turf Moor tomorrow.

Burnley knocked Derby out of the FA Cup last Satuday in an exciting, open third-round tie.

But back in the Second Division, the Clarets are likely to face a Cardiff line-up determined to scrap for every ball to stop the hosts getting into their stride and extending their impressive home record.

"We've got to realise that it will possibly be a harder game than Derby because Cardiff will be getting right in amongst us and coming to Turf Moor trying to get a result against us because we did well against Derby.

"We've got to switch off from the cup and get on with the most important thing for us which is the league," insisted Mellon.

The Clarets midfielder outshone Scottish international Craig Burley last weekend, while Paul Cook put on-loan Ajax midfielder Georgi Kinkladze in the shade.

"We enjoyed it. It was just great that we went down there and got a result, but from a personal point of view I did enjoy it," he admitted.

However, it's back down to earth tomorrow for the visit of a Cardiff side struggling to pull clear of the bottom four and with seven away defeats to their name this season.

Mellon and Cook will be opposed by former Fulham men Matt Brazier and Richard Carpenter, and possibly Mellon's former Blackpool team-mate Mark Bonner.

For Burnley it will be a case of taking the positive vibes from their Pride Park performance and instilling them into a promotion formula that Stan Ternent will be trying to bring to the boil over the Christmas period. While engaged in the Cup last week, victories for Millwall and Notts County pushed Burnley out of the play-off zone.

Mellon added: "It's got to help, beating a Premier League team. But I think we've been playing with a lot of confidence anyway.

"But we've got make sure we don't go out tomorrow and think we've won the game before it starts. We've got to make sure we're up for it from the start.

"They (Wigan and Preston) have taken a five-point gap but they've still got to come to Turf Moor.

"We are looking to peg them back at the top, aware that they still have to come here."

However, while Burnley will be doing their best to avoid an "after the Lord Mayor's show" scenario and not dwell on their Derby triumph, the Cup and a fourth-round clash at Coventry City will also act as a spur, according to Mellon.

"It's important for everyone to play well because you want to stay in the team for Coventry game.

"We've got five games between now and then and you're playing for your place," he added.

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