BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent felt his side had been denied a likely match-winner in their relegation stalemate at Notts County.

Clarets striker Andy Payton looked to have won a clear-cut penalty when he was clipped by County defender Dennis Pearce, having rounded keeper Darren Ward.

And Ternent was firmly of that view.

"How Andy Payton's wasn't a penalty I will never know. The referee said he didn't think it was a penalty so he didn't give it but if that's not a penalty then there are no penalties," insisted the Clarets manager.

In a game of so few chances, a spot-kick may have been enough to give Burnley a vital win.

But Terent took consolation from an excellent defensive performance that brought Burnley their first clean sheet since the turn of the year and kept them two places and two points above the relegation places with this afternoon's home game with Colchester to come.

"I think it was a good battling performance. The pitch wasn't condusive to good, passing football so it was a battle and I felt we fully deserved our point and had the best chances," he added.

"They defended very well and restricted them to hardly any chances at all. We spent some time on the training ground with it and I was pleased for them.

"Overall defensively it was very good and we created the best chances but it just wouldn't go in for us.

"Successful sides are built on clean sheets and if we carry on in that vein and keep some clean sheets we will be fine."

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