EXPERIENCED defender Graham Alexander believes Burnley have what it takes to mount a serious promotion push this season.

The 36-year-old, who reached the Championship play-offs with Preston three times in six years before completing a switch to Turf Moor in August, admits there are similarities between the two squads.

And with a 3-1 win at Charlton Athletic securing back-to-back wins in the capital and moving Burnley to within two points of sixth place, with a game in hand, it has underlined his belief that the Clarets are capable of challenging at the top of the table.

"The main thing from my time at Preston was that we didn't have the biggest squad and the biggest names in the division, but we had a belief inside us and a toughness to achieve," said Alexander.

"The Championship is a tough league and you have to turn it on week in, week out.

"If you don't you find yourself going down the table, but if we can have that toughness and the belief that we can achieve something this season then I don't see why not.

"It's been a great week results wise, and the whole atmosphere around training and the squad has been fantastic for the last couple of weeks, to be fair, we've carried it on into the games and got the results that give a big boost to the club.

"The manager's come in and realised the quality we've got in the squad with the players, he just wants us to express ourselves - not to do anything silly, but in the right areas to go for it.

"He makes us not afraid to make mistakes. He's really encouraging if we make a mistake - he's not on your back, he's telling you to try it again.

"The quality players; the flair players in our side are really flourishing from that, added to that the work-rate we've got in the squad and the steel, we're doing well at the moment and hopefully it will continue."

And Alexander believes that recording away wins at Watford and Charlton in less than a week will make the rest of the Championship sit up and take notice of Burnley.

"That's what the manager said before the game, 'let's put a marker down for the rest of the season'," he explained.

"If we'd followed up Tuesday's result with a bad one here people would say (Watford) was a one-off fluke.

"We've come away to Watford and Charlton in the space of a week and got six points - and deservedly so, I think that's the main thing.

"I don't think we've been particularly lucky or anything, we've deserved the results and hopefully that will continue into the coming weeks because we've still got a few tough games to come, and they come thick and fast in this division.

"If we can keep that toughness inside us, inside our heads, then we can get the results."

But the Scotland international has stressed the Clarets must keep their feet on the ground and remain focused on their forthcoming fixtures.

"But we don't want to get carried away with everything because of these two great results in the week, but we've got to take confidence from it and hopefully take it into the games that are coming up," Alexander said.

"We're proving, at the moment, hard to beat as well.

"We're not conceding many goals but the ability that we've got in the forward areas is allied to that.

"And it must be exciting to watch because it's exciting to play in as well and hopefully it will continue.

"You take it game by game. We've had a great week this week, but it won't count for anything on Tuesday if we don't beat Leicester.

"So we've got to start again and do the right things and work hard.

"The quality we've got in the team and changing room can win us games, and that's been proven this week.

"Hopefully we'll keep our feet on the floor but look to the stars."