Pete Oliver on a former Stoke star's new priorities

ALLY Pickering heads back to Stoke City tomorrow with his mind focussed purely on one thing - getting a result to keep Burnley in the Second Division.

Pickering was allowed to leave Stoke on a free transfer shortly before Christmas after failing to break into the side under Brian Little.

The former Coventry City right-back had undergone a minor back operation during the summer and Little signed Chris Short to play on the right side of his defence.

Pickering was restricted to the odd substitute's appearance as City made a flying start to the season and with Little not envisaging a route back into the side for him, Pickering moved on.

However, Stoke's loss has been Burnley's gain as the 31-year-old has been the model of consistency in a side that struggled for form before its current seven-match unbeaten run.

In the meantime, Stoke have slumped out of the automatic promotion picture into seventh place but Pickering, who barely missed a game in the First Division in the previous two seasons, will not be heading for the Britannia Stadium with any scores to settle.

"I'm just going back there to get three points. It makes no difference who we play, as long as we get three points," he insisted.

Burnley's current sequence of alternating draws with wins over the last seven games suggests it's time for another victory tomorrow.

It won't be as straightforward as that, of course, but the Clarets, 17th in the table and three points above the drop zone with four games to go, don't expect to lose at the moment and are anxious to preserve their Second Division status sooner rather than later. "The way we are playing at the moment, home or away, we are really confident so we are going down there for a win.

"If we can get three points on Saturday we will be virtually there.

"We don't want to be going into the last game of the season wanting to win," insisted Pickering, who recognises the threat his former club will pose as they enter the play-offs' last-chance saloon.

"They'll still want to win. They have still got a chance of the play-offs but hopefully we will do it," he added.

Pickering has done little wrong during his time at Turf Moor and has been seen at his best since returning from a one-match ban incurred for a sending off at Wycombe in February.

The Clarets have lost just one of eight games in that run and by playing regularly with three central defenders, Pickering has made the most of his extra licence to get forward from the wing-back position.

"I do like to get forward, but I don't mind as long as I'm playing," he said.

Pickering and Tom Cowan have taken on key roles in supplementing the Burnley attack.

But the formation and settled personnel have also produced a greatly improved defensive record with the Clarets conceding just seven goals in eight games.

"Clean sheets are the main thing," added Pickering.

"The gaffer says we are doing well at the moment and we just have to keep it going."

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