THE gap between Burnley and crisis club Portsmouth was reduced to seven points, as the Clarets away day misery continued at Fratton Park.

Owen Coyle's men have now failed to win in eight attempts on their travels.

It is their home form alone that gave them a healthy top half position until last month. But their promising start is now under threat as second half goals from Hermann Hreidarsson and Aruna Dindane only their second win at Fratton Park this season.

Burnley looked to have survived the worst of it when referee Phil Dowd's terrible decision to award Pompey a first-half penalty was cancelled out by Brian Jensen's expert double save.

There was no contact from Wade Elliott when Hreidarsson went down in the penalty box, but Dowd, who had a great view of the incident, nevertheless pointed to the spot.

Jensen got down well to parry Dindane's low spot kick and got up quickly to catch the striker's headed rebound.

But the Clarets failed to capitalise on a host of chances throughout the game, and paid the price when Hreidarsson sprang the offside trap to fire across Jensen on 65 minutes.

Portsmouth put the result beyond doubt when Dindane beat the Dane with a downwards header six minutes from time.