GOAL hero Chris Eagles has told Burnley to leave their mid-table moments in the past after their first back-to-back league wins in over a year propelled them to the fringes of the play-offs.

The versatile winger scored one and set one up to secure an important 3-1 win against former club Watford as the Clarets made the perfect start to a run of four consecutive away games.

After beginning the day in 10th place in the Championship, Eddie Howe’s side ended it in eighth, enjoying a brief spell in seventh until Leicester City beat Derby in the late kick-off.

It took Burnley’s tally under the former Bournemouth boss to four wins from six.

And as they prepare for tomorrow night’s trip to second placed Cardiff City, Eagles insists he is only looking up and is determined to use their game in hand to close the six-point gap on the play-off positions.

“This is the important stage of the season now. You can start to see the strong ones and it’s about whoever kicks on,” said the 25-year-old, who took his tally for the season to 11 before setting up Chris Iwelumo to share the billing as Burnley’s leading scorer with the third and final goal.

“We’ve got to do that because one slip-up can take us back down to 10th.

“Cardiff’s a huge game and it’s going to be tough.

“But it (the run of away games) has started and we’ve done a job (at Watford).”

Eagles, who left Watford for Manchester United at 14, returning on loan in 2005 and again in 2006, added: “I remember when they come to Turf Moor it was a very hard game so it’s just good to get the win.

“The first half was hard - it was a tough game. Coming here’s always hard but the pitch didn’t help.

“In the second half we pressed well and I think the (second) goal gave us a boost and that’s why we went on the attack.”

Burnley took the lead with a freak own goal, as goalkeeper Scott Loach’s attempted clearance cannoned off defender Dale Bennett and arrowed into his own net in the eighth minute.

“I’ve never seen anything like that. Every goal counts, but when it went in like that I did feel sorry for them.

"It was very unlucky, but it’s one of those things. You need luck,” said Eagles.

He had restored the Clarets’ lead in the second half after Watford’s leading scorer, Danny Graham, equalised with his 19th of the season five minutes after the deadlock had been broken.

“I played a one-two with Chris and it was just a reaction.

"I took it early and that’s what caught the keeper off guard.

"I think if I’d taken another touch he’d have read that because I think it was quite close to him.”