CHRIS Brass, Mark Robertson and Paul Weller all return to the Clarets squad as Burnley bid to build on their unbeaten Second Divison start at North-West rivals Oldham Athletic tomorrow.

The trio all came through a mid-week reserve game to earn their elevation to the senior ranks for the first time this season.

Brass would appear to have the most realistic chance of being involved in some capacity, although he may have to wait a little longer for a return to the fray following just 90 minutes of action after a hernia operation.

But for all three, and Weller in particular, their selection in Stan Ternent's 19-man squad represents another important step on the comeback trail.

Not named is John Mullin, who is unlikely to play because of a hip injury and Steve Davis (calf) definitely misses the short trip to Boundary Park.

Assuming Brass doesn't start, Ternent will therefore have to decide whether to play Gordon Armstrong or ex-Latics man Ronnie Jepson alongside Mitchell Thomas in a defence looking to maintain Oldham's blank start the season.

"From our point of view I hope they have scored no goals by tomorrow night either," confirmed Ternent, who is expected to recall a fit-again Andy Cooke up front.

"But derby matches tend to be tough matches. We drew 1-1 there last season in a tough game and I don't expect this one to be any different. "But the team is well prepared and has a good week's training. We've just got to transfer that onto the pitch.

"You hope for a good start to the season and if we get something tomorrow we'll have had a smashing start."

Midfield orchestrator Paul Cook is also pleased with the way things have gone so far, although he confessed that there is still plenty of room for improvement. He said: "Four points out of six has got to be considered a good start.

"We accept in patches we haven't played particularly well but again there have been a lot of new players coming and going which will always take time.

"The main thing is getting points. We got a point at Wycombe where we played well for 60 minutes maybe.

"Against Chesterfield we stopped and started but we won and we know within the club that we can only get better. And as long as we continue picking up points along the way to getting better then hopefully we will be alright."

And Cook stressed the need to keep the Clarets lengthy unbeaten League run going.

"Obviously if we can win it will be fantastic but if we go there and we don't get beat it's all a step in the right direction," he added.

"We will be going there to win for sure. There's no way we'd go for anything else.

"But if we do come away with another game unbeaten it all adds to the confidence, like at the end of last season, where you start playing games when you don't think you can lose.

"When you're on a bad run you don't want Saturday to come round but when you're on a good run it's a case of 'who are we going to beat this week' which is nice." Oldham, who could bring in Ian McLean at left-back, have had a dismal start to the season with three defeats in league and cup.

But they can call on one of the most experienced midfield departments in the Second Division in their bid to revive their fortunes.

Neil Adams returned to Boundary Park from Norwich City in the summer and alongside John Sheridan and Lee Duxbury, the trio can boast 1,271 League appearances between them.

However, the Clarets won't be too far behind with Cook, Lenny Johnrose and Micky Mellon boasting a combined total of 1,045 games.

Burnley from: Crichton, West, Smith, Mellon, Thomas, Cowan, Armstrong, Cook, Cooke, Payton, Johnrose, Jepson, Lee, Branch, Grant, Little, Brass, Robertson, Weller.

Oldham from: Kelly, S McNiven, McLean, Holt, Garnett, Adams, Sheridan, Duxbury, Innes, Beavers, Tipton, Allott, Rickers, Sugden, Miskelly, Salt, D McNiven.

The Clarets youth team also play Oldham tomorrow. Their Football League Youth Alliance fixture kicks-off at 11.00 at Gawthorpe.

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