BURNLEY'S goal machine misfired at Mourneview Park last night.

But it was more the quality of a resilient Glenavon side which kept the goal-hungry Clarets at bay.

The Turf Moor men arrived in Lurgan boasting nine goals from their last two games in Northern Ireland.

Yet the County Armagh outfit proved tougher nuts to crack than either Coleraine or Ards.

Glenavon, in fact, had the best defensive record in either the Irish League or cup competitions last season.

Classed as one of the stronger Northren Ireland sides, Burnley boss Adrian Heath was satisfied to see the Clarets preserve their unbeaten run.

"We knew this was going to be quite a tough little test and that is exactly how it turned out," he observed.

"We've had a tough work-out. This was our third game in four days and I thought the lads were a little bit jaded.

"It showed in some of our play, particularly in the second half.

"Glenavon are a neat and tidy side who do not give much away.

"They played the German side, Werder Bremen, in one of the European cup competitions last season and only lost 1-0. I could see why." And Heath added: "But I've got to be happy with three clean sheets in three games. It also keeps our unbeaten run on a roll for Thursday's game with Glentoran in Belfast.

"The fitness aspect of all this is very important as well and this short tour is making the players stronger and fitter with each day."

Heath drafted in several of his first team stars who did not start Monday night's 5-0 victory over Ards.

And for Clarets fans who missed the opening 4-0 win over Coleraine, there was the first sight of young midfielder Damian Matthew.

Again there was a strong and boisterous Burnley presence in a crowd of around 500.

One lad I spoke to had successfully thumbed an early morning lift from Burnley and landed in Stranraer to catch the lunch-time ferry to Belfast.

He then made a mad dash across the province, landing in Lurgan half an hour before kick off! How's that for supporting your team?

Another enthusiastic group - including several memebers of the Colne Clarets Supporters Club - swopped stories with former Burnley hero Billy Hamilton.

Hamilton, given a royal welcome by the Burnley support, helped organise the tour. Billy now lives in Bangor and, until recently, was manager of Distillery.

Burnley's best period of the game arrived in the opening quarter of an hour when some stout Glenavon defending kept sizzling efforts from David Eyres and Nigel Gleghorn at bay.

The closest the Clarets came to breaking the deadlock in the first half was a Jamie Hoyland effort, hacked off the line by full-back Joe Harkin.

Glenavon were fairly anonymous in attack though, apart from one effort from striker Glenn Ferguson, forcing Beresford to save.

But they were no mugs either, boasting several current and ex-Northern Ireland internationals.

Midfielder Tony Shepherd won a championship medal with Glasgow Celtic in the 1980s. Burnley, though, ran out of steam and Kurt Nogan was left to rue two very convertable chances.

Glenavon had goalkeeper Dermot O'Neill to thank 10 minutes from time, twisting through the air to deny a rocket of a shot from David Eyres. But it was another satisfactory work-out for the Clarets and a result which keeps their unbeaten run in Northern Ireland firmly intact. GLENAVON: O'Neill, Harkin, Glendinning, Doherty, Gauld, Smith, Mulholland, Shepherd, Ferguson, Williamson, Kenny.

BURNLEY: Beresford, Parkinson, Eyres, Hoyland, Winstanley, Harrison, Matthew (Weller 75), Thompson (Smith 75), Nogan, Bambo (Boer 45), Gleghorn. Subs not used: Russell (gk), Brass.

Referee: Mr F McDonald (Newry).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.