Division Two: Blackpool v Burnley - Pete Oliver's big match preview

CHRIS Brass is banking on Burnley's strength of character to produce a successful climax to their relegation struggle.

The Clarets have shown some inner steel to drag themselves out of the bottom four on the back of a five-match unbeaten run.

And that sequence of results has seen Stan Ternent's side come from behind in four of the five games, the other finishing goalless at Notts County.

Burnley therefore head for Blackpool tonight armed with the knowledge that they can produce the goods when the chips are down.

"I think if you looked at us earlier in the season and we went a goal behind I think really we went under," admitted Brass.

"But over the last seven or eight games there has been a bit of resolve there and we keep on fighting to the end. We are not expecting to get beaten which is a nice feeling. "The results on Saturday mean it's rather close down the bottom and there will be people getting nervous. But we know that if we go a goal behind we have the capability to pull a goal back and go on to win the game."

Brass agreed, however, that he would rather the side didn't have to do it the hard way all the time.

He added: "It would be nice in tonight's game to get our noses in front. It's a while since we have done that and if we do it could be a hell of a confidence boost and we could go on and win the game.

"I'm sure someone's going to get a hammering, hopefully starting tonight."

The last time Burnley scored first and won was at Millwall on January 23, a result that lifted them to 15th-place in the table.

The Clarets are now three places below that with five draws in the 12 games since keeping them at arm's length from the relegation zone but not out of danger.

"We are unbeaten in five now but it would be nice to go with another unbeaten game but it being a win," admitted Brass, whose defensive qualities have contributed to that hard-to-beat feeling. "There have been two wins and three draws and it would be nice to feel we could get two wins back-to-back and if do get that, be it tonight and Saturday, I think we could possibly be safe for the season."

Mid-table Blackpool are one of the dourest sides in the division but recent wins over Chesterfield and Reading on Saturday arrested a slump which threatened to drag them into the mire.

They now look odds-on to stay up, and Brass believes that the prospect of the comfort zone might just tip the balance of tonight's game Burnley's way, despite the fight for local pride.

"It's another local derby so we are expecting another battle like we had on Saturday and hopefully we can match them like we did in the second half against Oldham," Brass added. "I think they'll have their own pride, although they will possibly be thinking they are safe.

"They will be going into the game to win it but if we're up for it I'm sure the psychology of it is that they'll back off and think 'we're all right'."

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