Impressive Clarets warm the heart

A HEART monitor apparently dropped from the wrist of a Burnley fan went missing and then remained unclaimed at the end of the game according to the public address announcer at Boundary Park.

That being the case, I can only hope the owner remains in good health because even the strongest of hearts were racing before Burnley secured another morale-boosting victory to confirm their early-season credentials as a side to be reckoned with.

The Clarets were an irresistible attacking force in the opening 45 minutes when they could and should have put a second successive win beyond any doubt.

The fact that they had only an Andy Payton goal to show for their dominance led to some nervy moments later on.

And a failure to kill Oldham off completely from a couple of glorious chances in the dying stages allowed the agony to linger a little longer.

But with Mitchell Thomas a tower of strength there was to be no cruel sting in the tail for the Clarets, who continue to cut a swathe through the Second Division - their unbeaten run now stretching to 14 games.

However, despite those anxious moments in the final quarter this wasn't a streaky win and taken over the 90 minutes the Clarets were thoroughly worthy winners.

Not just that, they bagged the points with a degree of panache and flair not seen in the previous Saturday's hard-fought success against Chesterfield. Listening to some supporters leaving Turf Moor after that game it was difficult to tell who'd won and lost.

But the 3,000-plus fans who made the short trip to Oldham will have gone home happy and encouraged.

There's still work to be done as the Clarets were not without some jitters at the back as holes appeared sporadically in front of the defence, manned against the Latics by Thomas, Gordon Armstrong and Tom Cowan with Paul Smith and Dean West out wide.

But the passing, movement and potency going forward were impressive.

Micky Mellon played a full role in this from his advanced position in midfield where he looks at his best.

West also played his finest game yet and up front Payton and Andy Cooke, driven on by Paul Cook and Lenny Johnrose, were simply too hot for Oldham to handle.

The Latics didn't know what had hit them before the break and it was to their credit that they managed to mount a response mid-way through the second half.

But their lack of punch in front of goal - they are yet to score this season - meant they were reduced to just a couple of decent chances.

Oldham boss Andy Ritchie must have looked on enviously as Payton and Cooke tore his defence to shreds with the help of some top-quality service.

Smith, recalled to indirectly fill the void left by Steve Davis's absence, set the tone in the first minute with a raking, angled ball from the left-back slot into the path of Payton. The striker's first touch was sublime but Gary Kelly was equal to the shot and West thumped the rebound over the top.

Payton then headed West's cross wide before a move started by Paul Crichton's throw-out ended with Cooke rounding Kelly but directing his effort wide of the target.

Cooke's next attempt was on the volley before Oldham threatened for the first time, John Sheridan delivering a trademark free-kick which Crichton palmed away from the top corner.

However, Burnley's response was emphatic as they took the lead after 31 minutes.

Smith was again the provider and when his long pass landed between Kelly and his defenders, Payton pounced and steadied himself before lobbing the ball home in typically clinical fashion.

Still Burnley kept coming and Cooke grabbed centre-stage following an opportunist effort from David McNiven that landed on the top of Burnley's goal.

McNiven's twin brother Scott and his defensive colleague Shaun Garnett were both robbed by the rampaging Cooke, who was then thwarted on each occasion by the angle and by Kelly.

The feeling persisted, however, that Burnley needed a second goal to be sure.

And that sensation was heightened after Thomas had stabbed a shot wide, Mellon volleyed over at the end of another flowing break and Cowan struck a rasping drive across the face of goal early in the second half.

With Cooke off injured and Burnley losing their grip, Oldham enjoyed a 10-minute purple patch when it looked as though they might equalise. But Crichton was equal to anything the home side could throw at him, saving from Mark Allott and then most memorably from McNiven the striker when he was clean through.

All the while though Burnley had chances on the break to snuff out any comeback hopes.

Payton was inches away from a second on a couple of occasions as Graham Branch worried Oldham with his pace.

But the most glaring miss of all came from Branch who was sent clear in the final minute, but with just Kelly to beat inexplicably poked his shot wide.

Any chance to make amends disappeared when fellow substitute Alan Lee failed to find him when the Clarets again broke with a man over.

But such reckless extravagance didn't prove costly. And if they display this kind of attacking form on a regular basis, then there should be plenty more chances coming Burnley's way.

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