ANDY Gray felt the end of last season had come too soon given the kind of goalscoring form he found himself in during April.

The former Sunderland front man ended the campaign with four goals in the last four games after having his season interrupted by a broken metatarsal in November, when he had already hit double figures.

As a result, the 29-year-old was even more desperate to hit the ground running this season.

And after netting his third in four games, he has.

To put the icing on the cake, his fellow strikers also got on the scoresheet, with Robbie Blake and Ade Akinbiyi now off and running.

Burnley's passage to the Carling Cup third round was sealed comfortably in the end, but that was also thanks, in no small part, to goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

The man who they call the Beast made an enormous contribution as Oldham Athletic piled on late pressure.

After denying former Burnley loan striker Michael Ricketts in a one-on-one on the corner of the box with the score locked at 0-0, he went on to make further good saves from Craig Davies, substitute Matthew Wolfenden and a Neal Eardley rocket.

"It was a good win. I love it when we keep a clean sheet and our strikers score. We're very pleased with that," said Clarets manager Steve Cotterill, who was true to his weekend prediction that he would "mix and match" for this Carling Cup second round clash.

After the unfortunate cancellation of Saturday's home game against Queen's Park Rangers, following the tragic death of Rangers striker Ray Jones, the Burnley manager felt some of the players who have been prominent in his teams so far were in need of a game now, rather than wait until the weekend, to keep them focused at this early stage of the season, and bearing in mind a break for internationals is just around the corner.

There were also other motives for his team selection, such as Steven Caldwell returning from a hamstring problem that forced his early exit from the opening day win against West Bromwich Albion; another chance for Robbie Blake and Andy Gray to build their strike partnership; and another run-out for Steve Jones after adding to his Northern Ireland caps as a substitute last week.

On a night that had begun to have a familiar look to the first round at Grimsby Town two weeks ago, there were few first-half openings. And when those chances were created in the first period, they were missed.

Just 10 minutes in, Joehn Spicer made a strong, determined run into the box, beating one, then two, before picking out Gray from the byline, but you got the impression the striker was expecting it to be pumped across the goalline rather than pulled back to him, and as he leaned back, the net goalkeeper Mark Crossley had left gaping was never in danger.

Oldham, meanwhile, who demolished Mansfield Town 4-1 in the previous round, were struggling to make an impact up front, although Ricketts had a chance delfected, Davies was thwarted by a Spicer challenge in the box and Gary McDonald went close from a corner.

In the meantime, Stephen Jordan went close for Burnley when he fired in a long, high ball from wide on the left.

Did he mean to test Crossley to the extent that he did? Had the ball dipped under the bar instead of just over it then the answer would probably have been "yes".

Burnley and Oldham legend David Eyres, who was guest of honour to make the half-time draw, said he would have loved to have laced up his boots one last time to play in this game. To be back, in a footballing capacity, at the Turf.

And how this game needed something of the calibre he could conjure to unlock it and prevent extra-time for the second successive Clarets cup clash.

Gray eventually provided it, possibly with the aid of a deflection, but they all count.

Oldham, watched by new signing Lee Hughes from the stands, made a bright start to the second half with chances falling to the two front men, but their early spark was dimmed.

Moments after Blake had struck the base of the left hand post with a 35-yard free kick, Gray put Burnley in front with a brilliant solo effort. After picking the ball up 25 yards out with his back to goal, he got the better of Sean Gregan and looped it over Crossley.

The striker was denied a penalty after being bundled to the ground by John Thompson.

Alan Mahon, one of two half-time subsitutions along with James O'Connor, had two chances in quick succession, the first a save, the second blazing over the bar. But this was better from Burnley.

Jensen saved well from a Davies rocket, while at the other end, Elliott should have done better after a good build-up by Mahon and Gray.

But Mahon eventually got an assist when he set up Blake's first goal on his return to Turf Moor with a brilliant throughball.

Jensen was twice called into action, and Spicer and Clarke Carlisle were on hand to help out on the goalline also before Burnley's final substitute wrapped the game up in stoppage time, sprinting onto Elliott's excellent cross from the right to execute a confident finish with the outside of his right boot.