BURNLEY boss Chris Waddle has won his fight to get Andy Cooke's booking in the Derby clash with Preston wiped out.

The verdict could now help Burnley's bid to pull away from the relegation zone with Cooke no longer walking a disciplinary tightrope.

The 14-goal striker was just one booking away from a two-match ban after being cautioned at Deepdale for supposedly diving.

But referee Fraser Stretton's move to reverse this decision at the prompting of Waddle has given Cooke some extra leeway and the chance to prolong his prolific partnership with Andy Payton.

Waddle had been furious over the decision at the time when Cooke was brought down outside the penalty area by Preston keeper David Lucas, but was then penalised for going down a second time when attempting to get back on the rout to goal.

The Clarets' player-manager immediately promised to challenge the decision and sent a copy of the match video to Stretton, who acted on the evidence and contacted the FA to scrub the caution.

Waddle warned that Cooke, also booked at Wycombe on Saturday, would still have to watch his step, but was delighted to have the immediate threat of suspension lifted.

He added: "A few would have stuck to their decision and that's life, but full credit to the referee. He said when he studied it that he had made a mistake.

"It would have been better if he had sent the keeper off and we had won the game more easily, but we went on to win it anyway and that was the main thing."

Cooke exacted his revenge by putting Burnley ahead in the game and Neil Moore's injury-time winner won the points.

Waddle is optimistic that Cooke and Payton will line-up again against Brentford on Saturday with Payton expected to shrug off a calf injury he picked up after scoring the midweek winner against Preston in the Auto Windscreens Shield. Meanwhile, Burnley stalwart Vince Overson is emerging from his injury nightmare to pledge: "I'm not finished yet."

The central defender has been plagued by injury since rejoining the Clarets for his second spell at Turf Moor.

He played only eight league games last term and has yet to figure in the first team under Chris Waddle because of complications following a torn calf muscle.

But he is back on the reserve team beat and confident that he can get his career back on track to salvage something from a dream move that has been bedevilled by bad luck.

"When I came back to the club I went on record as saying I would not have left Stoke for anyone else," said Overson.

"I had five good years there but when Burnley offered me a contract I jumped at the chance of coming back. I just wanted people to see the way I could play.

Tickets for Burnley's games against Wrexham next Tuesday night and Blackpool on March 3 are on open sale from the ticket office. No tickets are needed in advance for Burnley's game at Carlisle on Saturday, February 28. Admission prices on the day will be £11 adults and £6 concessions. The turnstile entrances to use are 17-21.

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