IT was perhaps fitting that Robbie Blake and Wade Elliott were the men who halted the Turf Moor slide.

Aside from the fact that Burnley have failed to lose when Blake has scored in his second spell with the Clarets, there has been an intriguing contest between the duo at the top of the assist charts all season.

Until recently, Elliott was ahead - only kept off the top spot by the likes of Ipswich wide man Jonathan Walters and Stoke's Liam Lawrence.

Blake recently claimed the ascendancy over his team-mate. But you won't find him complaining at Elliott drawing level on 10 each after he came off the bench to feed off the winger's pass and score his sixth of the season.

The Clarets striker has made no secret of his desire to bump up his goals return, but admitted he gets equal satisfaction from creating when Burnley are winning.

The problem is, they haven't been. The last home win was before Owen Coyle's arrival as manager, on October 23 - ironically when Blake scored in a 2-1 win over Norwich City, with Andy Gray grabbing the other from the spot.

Saturday's success, meanwhile, was the first to be recorded in seven Championship attempts in total, and after the impressive performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend, it was another excellent response to the disappointing display, and result, at Blackpool on New Year's Day. In difficult circumstances too.

Injuries and suspensions had once more left Burnley with a patched up starting 11. Chris McCann was again ruled out after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in his comeback game from a three-match ban, while Kyle Lafferty began his four-game suspension for the controversial red card he was shown against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend.

Alan Mahon and Clarke Carlisle are continuing their recoveries from hamstring problems, Blake, even, began on the bench after a groin strain meant he was only able to train the day before the game, while Ade Akinbiyi was unavailable due to a back complaint.

But none of that deterred Coyle from tinkering with the formation and lining up 4-3-3.

David Unsworth came in at left back to allow Jon Harley to move back up into midfield, there was a change in goal as Brian Jensen was preferred to Gabor Kiraly for his first start under Coyle,and the absence of McCann provided Joey Gudjonsson with the opportunity to make his first league start since the trip to Scunthorpe in mid-September.

Andy Gray led the line with Steve Jones and Elliott in support, and it was from the right flank that Burnley's best moves were carved out.

Elliott has been arguably the most consistent player this season but has thrived even more under manager Coyle's emphasis on wing play. And even though the formation against Plymouth brought him inside more than usual, it didn't cancel out his ability to create.

Argyle, who haven't recorded an away win against Burnley for over 30 years, should have known what they were in for. The last time the Pilgrims visited Turf Moor, Burnley ended a run of 19 games without a win in emphatic fashion as Michael Duff's opener was followed up with goals for loan striker Paul McVeigh, Jones and Elliott.

Although the Clarets again dominated, it wasn't so comprehensive this time. But it could have been had Elliott, Andy Gray and Jones been able to make more of their half chances, while Gudjonsson was unfortunate to clip the top of the crossbar with a speculative effort.

But as redundant as Plymouth almost were, following the departure of striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake just two days before, it was Jensen who was tested first. Peter Halmosi launched a deep free kick into the box from the right, Lilian Nalis got up at the near post and flicked a header goalwards, although in the end it was a pretty comfortable introduction to the game for Jensen.

Burnley broke and Elliott was unlucky to lift a chance over the bar, later volleying a delivery into the box that just needed Gray or Jones sliding in to get on the end of it to surely turn it past Luke McCormick.

But the goalkeeper had little to do as Burnley adopted a more patient build-up, passing the ball around the back and midfield and taking advantage of Plymouth's reluctance to challenge or close them down.

He would, however, have been beaten had Gudjonsson's speculative shot dipped a couple of inches lower. The Iceland international didn't need a second invitation when he got a glimpse of goal around 25 yards on the left flank, but his wicked right-footer clipped the top of the crossbar, while an awkward volley from Elliott's delivery bounced wide of the near right-hand post just after the half-hour.

Headers for Jones and Gray went wide and straight at the keeper respectively as the half petered out.

But it sparked into life in the second half with Blake's introduction.

Jones made way, minutes after Gray brought a fingertip save from McCormick and seconds after Jones himself had what would have been a well-worked goal ruled out for offside.

Blake's impact was instantaneous as his role wasn't restricted to the left side.

With a bit more composure he might have scored sooner, but dragged a shot wide after running onto Graham Alexander's excellent ball into the box. He then set up a chance for Gray.

But Blake's 67th minute finish was clinical, and enough to end Burnley's frustrating run, once more at Plymouth's expense.

He couldn't have done it, though, without Elliott, who left full back Lee Hodges in his wake on another dangerous run down the right, cut the ball back for Blake to do the damage with a vicious right-foot volley.

He was unlucky to be denied a second as Unsworth played a free kick short and Blake let fly from 35 yards.

McCormick saved brilliantly, and recovered to stand up to Alexander's test from a similar distance.

Desperate Plymouth made a double substitution with 15 minutes to go and soon followed it up with their third and final change.

And although conceding had brought more out of the Pilgrims, Burnley never looked in danger of losing their grip on a first Championship win of 2008.