TWO seasons ago, Burnley conceded 60 league goals on their way to the top flight. But, as the Clarets bid to record a fifth consecutive clean sheet for the first time since 1992 at Millwall this afternoon, Brian Laws is hoping for a different route to promotion.

Only six sides in the Championship conceded more than the Clarets during the 2008/09 season, when Owen Coyle’s men reached the Premier League through the play-offs – mainly by virtue of scoring 72 at the other end.

But ever since Laws’ arrival in January he has stressed the need to tighten up at the back.

It did not happen in the second half of last term, with the Clarets shipping 82 league goals during the season as a whole.

The signs of improvement are starting to surface now, though. Burnley have not conceded in their last four games and only leaders QPR have a better defensive record.

Laws’ arrival into the Burnley side as a player coincided with seven consecutive clean sheets in 1980, so the boss is in no doubt about the importance of building from the back.

“One of the things the team is very determined to do is to be very solid,” he said. “Clean sheets will give the players a lift – particularly the defenders, who have been part of a team that has been shipping a lot of goals.

“If you can get the defensive side right, you’ve got every chance. You don’t have to score a bundle.

“We’ve seen promoted teams where they’ve conceded very little and scored very little.

“We’ve also seen teams who have conceded a lot and scored a lot. It doesn’t really matter. You can get promoted either way.

“But the most satisfying one is keeping clean sheets.”

The division has thrown up some high-scoring results this season, with Preston winning 6-4 at Leeds on Tuesday, but Laws insists there can be no repeat of the 60 goals the Clarets conceded two years ago.

“Teams have been relegated on that figure as well,” he said. “It can be interesting to watch for the spectators. To see 6-4 scorelines is great for football.

“But it isn’t really great for the management, coaches or the club.

“To consistently keep doing that is tough mentally and you don’t know which team is going to turn up on the day. If you’re keeping clean sheets that’s something you can build from.”