SEASIDERS old boy Micky Mellon conjured up the perfect response to the flak he received from the Blackpool fans - and made a friend rich into the bargain by shooting Burnley to victory at Turf Moor yesterday.

Mellon's sizzling second-half strike sunk the club where he starred for just over three seasons and silenced the fans who apparently haven't forgiven him for moving on.

"It's always nice to score but they gave me stick from the first minute to the last and when I put it in I just thought 'there you go,'" said the Clarets midfielder.

"It was late in the game and I thought that could be the winner. And it was a big three points for us. I don't really understand why they do that to me but they do. But I'm more pleased Burnley getting three points to be honest, rather than Micky Mellon scoring against Blackpool.

"I enjoyed my day but importantly we got the three points."

And Mellon also revealed that his goal had been a profitable one.

"My friend in Blackpool had £20 on me (to be the first scorer) at about 20-1 so I think he'll be more chuffed than me actually," he revealed.

Mellon's strike 14 minutes from the end of a derby game dictated by Burnley was as overdue as it was deserved against a Blackpool side that hung in there valiantly in pursuit of a point.

"The last two teams to come here have set their stall out like that and I thought their keeper was fantastic. He made some unbelievable saves to keep them in the game really.

"But we keep grinding it out and hopefully we will be in the shake-up at the end of the year.

"I think the fans were just about to start getting frustrated because we did miss a lot of chances but hopefully they went home happy," added Mellon after notching his second goal in three games.

"That's what the manager brought me here for. He'll say it's about time I started scoring. I'm just pleased that I'm getting on the scoresheet."

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It's always nice to score but they gave me stick from the first minute to the last and when I put it in I just thought 'There you go." - Micky Mellon

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