ANDY Payton should be back to spearhead Burnley's survival fight at Stoke City on Saturday after missing the Clarets goalless draw with Bournemouth.

The 22-goal leading scorer was ruled out of Saturday's clash with a thigh strain and in his absence Burnley did everything but score against the play-off candidates.

"If he had played we could have lost him for the rest of the season. He wasn't ready but I'm hopeful he will be okay for the weekend," confirmed manager Stan Ternent today.

The nearest Burnley came to breaking the deadlock were two efforts from Steve Davis, who crashed a long-range shot against the crossbar in the first half before missing a gilt-edged chance after the break.

"I'm disappointed. I don't think I'll be sleeping very well but it's one of those things," said the honest Davis after spooning an Andy Cooke cross over the top of a gaping goal.

"You've got to be there to miss them and unfortunately it didn't go in. "I think I'd better stick to 25 yards and keep out of the box altogether.

"It came across pretty quickly but I'm not making excuses and at least I'll get myself on Sky!"

However, Ternent leapt to the defence of Davis whose three goals since his return to the club - against Bristol Rovers, Millwall and Macclesfield - have all produced Burnley wins.

"Steve Davis owes us nothing. He's scored some important goals for us so he's entitled to that," said Ternent, who was pleased with the performance of his side which kept a second successive clean sheet and stretched their unbeaten run to seven games.

"It just wouldn't go in for us," he added.

While Davis couldn't deliver all three points, he did his day job well in company with Chris Brass and Gordon Armstrong to completely snuff out sixth-placed Bournemouth's attacking threat. "I'm here as a defender and clean sheets are what you want as a defender. So if that's the yardstick I'm doing all right," Davis added.

"We are delighted with a clean sheet and I'm pleased for Paul Crichton as well because although he didn't have much to do what he did do he did really well and was positive at crosses.

"Touch wood we are starting to look a lot more positive at the back.

"You attack as a team and you defend as a team and I think the consistency we have had as a settled team has really helped.

"We have had a run of games with unchanged teams and it really does make a difference."

Results elsewhere sucked the Clarets back towards the relegation frame, although they retain a three-point cushion in 17th-place with four games to play.

"The run continues and games are running out. If we can manage to grab another win we'll hopefully see ourselves over the line," stressed Davis.

While Davis went as close as anybody to settling the outcome, Ronnie Jepson almost took on the mantle of match-winner. Jepson again came off the bench to lift the Clarets for the final half-hour, despite being only 75 per cent down the road to a full recovery.

The striker's season has been blighted by a ruptured Achilles' tendon and his rehabilitation programme has had to be combined with preparation for matches.

"In an ideal world I would be out doing my running with Sam Ellis and Paul Lake every day but it's not that ideal situation," he revealed.

"But I don't mind. I will have a go for the gaffer and he knows that. The Achilles feels good. It's just a matter of stengthening my calf and the Achilles area and getting my training done.

"But if I do it the proper way it's going to be the end of the season.

"As it is it's all hands to the pump and that's seven unbeaten now and we've got to be pleased with it."

Jepson added: "It's a good point. They are a good side and I think they'll make the play-offs.

"I know John Williams the coach there who was with me at Port Vale and I said to him at half-time how well they were knocking it round. But they couldn't hurt us. "Looking at the League positions I think we would have taken a point but overall I think we deserved it (the win).

"The final ball could have been a bit better but the lads worked their socks off.

"Graham Branch and Andy Cooke up front were magnificent and deserved a goal for their work-rate alone.

"The gaffer threw three of us up front and we took it to them. It just needed that little bobble or something going in off a knee or anything but it doesn't happen when you're down there."

Stan Ternent will be a guest at a meeting of Accrington Clarets at the Miner's Arms, Blackburn Road, Accrington tonight at around 8.30pm.

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