Burnley 1 Fulham 0 - Pete Oliver's big match verdict

PACK the route map away. Burnley will be on familiar territory and not heading for the footballing outposts of Torquay, Hartlepool and Cheltenham next season after guaranteeing their Second Division safety in the grand manner.

Victory over champions Fulham coupled with defeat for Oldham and only a point for Wycombe means the Clarets have won their relegation battle.

The doubters who shook their heads following successive home thrashings by Gillingham and Manchester City have been proved wrong in remarkable style.

Saturday's triumph extended the Clarets unbeaten run to nine games and back-to-back wins for the first time this season took Burnley's points tally to 18 out of the last possible 27 - promotion form.

Burnley needed to produce that kind of run after a winter of discontent had dragged them into deep trouble.

But those kind of worries should now be behind them and after two successive relegation battles surely Burnley will not flirt with such danger again in the immediate future.

Fulham were ground down in a war of attrition. And it was fitting that Ronnie Jepson should score the goal that ensured Burnley's survival.

His efforts on returning from an injury that might have threatened the career of a less resolute character have epitomised the spirit that Burnley have shown in their decisive run-in.

Having not started a game since September when he ruptured an Achilles' tendon, Jepson's presence has been important over the last eight games.

The striker, approaching the veteran category at the age of 35, has played only a bit-part in terms of minutes on the pitch.

But his whole-hearted approach, enthusiasm, will-to-win and nous around the penalty area has lifted the Clarets at critical times.

And none more so than Saturday.

Given 45 minutes to make his mark, Jepson galvanised an attack that had been short of man power in a cautious first-half.

Nine minutes from the scheduled end of a niggardly, increasingly bad-tempered match, Jepson chose the perfect moment to score his first goal of the season.

Showing the awareness that has given him an 11-year career in the professional game, Jepson waited for the bouncing ball from a Tom Cowan long throw to turn and hook a volley past Maik Taylor. Fulham, down to 10 men after losing four through injury and shortly to be reduced further by the sending off of Kit Symons, had no answer.

And at seven minutes past five, referee Paul Rejer, who also handed out nine bookings, blew his worn-out whistle for a final time to confirm Burnley's safety.

Events over the last seven weeks had suggested it was coming, but the relief all round Turf Moor was still evident.

What seemed like a lifetime earlier Steve Davis had a headed 'goal' disallowed for off-side just two minutes in.

Had that effort counted it may have been a more comfortable afternoon.

Instead it became a battle of wills to carve out supremacy as the Clarets, understandably given the stature of their opponents, made a solid base their first priority.

Fulham, chasing a points record target of 103, sat back and waited for the opening, while Burnley got loads of men behind the ball but too few in regular attacking positions to assist Andy Cooke, playing a lone role in the absence of Andy Payton. The result was a near stalemate bar heading chances for Cooke and Davis, the first well saved by Taylor, the second misdirected by the Burnley defender. Fulham, having lost Simon Morgan to a bad foul by Graham Branch, who was lucky to receive only a yellow card, and Paul Peschisolido to a groin strain, enjoyed their best spell just after half-time.

But Barry Hayles, shadowed all afternoon by Chris Brass, and Geoff Horsfield, the subject of equally close attention from Davis, were denied by Crichton and the post respectively.

With Jepson on for the ineffectual Branch, and Glen Little's sniping runs from a more advanced position starting to make an impact, the home side pushed Kevin Keegan's men further back.

And Cooke should have ended his barren spell in front of goal when Jepson's flick left him in the clear.

Taylor hesitated coming off his line but Cooke stabbed his effort wide.

When a shove on Davis by Symons was ignored by the referee it looked as though Burnley would face a longer wait to seal their fate.

But Jepson proved himself the man for the moment and his strike signalled celebrations delayed only by the dismissal of Symons for dragging down Cooke, and six minutes of stoppage time to make it 13 in all.

It's been a long season.

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