STEVE Cotterill hailed the victory at Luton Town as the best of his managerial career.

The Clarets boss saw his ten men heroically end the Hatters unbeaten home record thanks to Ade Akinbiyi's hat trick and some resolute defending following Brian Jensen's first half sending off.

"I have been lucky enough to have a good few wins as a manager, but none better than that," admitted Cotterill.

"There have been a few big ones as well because I've been fortunate enough to have some successful teams and win at big stadiums.

"I've won at Wembley Stadium and the Millennium Stadium, beaten Liverpool and Aston Villa last season and even knocked Burnley out of the FA Cup with Cheltenham, but joking aside, that is the best win I have ever had because of the circumstances.

"To come and win at Luton would have been very difficult anyway, but I think I can say with a slight understatement, that it got a bit more difficult!"

Cotterill felt his side would have cruised to a comfortable win had Jensen not seen red in the 39th minute for deliberate handball outside his area.

The Clarets were already two goals up thanks to Akinbiyi's 10th and 11th goals of the season.

But with Burnley not carrying a substitute goalkeeper on the bench, that meant midfielder John Spicer had to don the gloves for 51 minutes and help protect the lead to earn the Clarets their third successive Championship victory.

And Cotterill later hinted the club may appeal against Jensen's sending off, which may lead to a loan signing being required with Danny Coyne already ruled out for the season through injury.

"Do we appeal that? I don't know," said the Burnley boss.

"We saw the Barnet keeper sent off at Old Trafford and was that not the same? Surely that is not right for football?

"Forget me being Burnley manager. It's just ridiculous and it will cost us because we now have to find one from somewhere.

"The only reason we didn't have a substitute keeper is for financial reasons.

"Michael Duff would be our normal goalkeeper and second Graham Branch, but they are both injured so we picked the smallest midfielder we could.

"John looked like Sepp Maier in those gloves, and his tackle at the end was his best since he's been at the club!"