We need to show that intensity and that fight and that togetherness

Last updated : 19 April 2011 By Tony Scholes
At one time it looked as though it might be a relegation battle for 'Boro but they've seen that off and come into the game without a defeat since the first Saturday in March and Tony Mowbray wants that unbeaten run to continue right through to the end of the season.

"We have got to try to keep the positivity going," Mowbray said. "We are looking to the end of the season in a way that makes the supporters believe that we can make a real challenge next season and excite them.

"Burnley have been on a sticky run and then they got the all-important win against Swansea at the weekend. They still have the nucleus of their team that played in the Premier League.

"They are a football team who pass the ball about and are going for the play offs. They'll be looking forward to pushing closer with this, their game in hand. We have to match that and put on a good performance.

"Any away game is a tough game and we have to raise our game. The matches are coming thick and fast at this time but we're looking forward to trying to continue our unbeaten run."

A run of one point from six games looked to have ended any hopes we had of making the play offs but the win against Swansea seems to have reignited things and there's no doubt that Eddie Howe sees another win tonight as a great opportunity to put some pressure on those clubs still fighting for sixth place.

"It changes week-in, week-out who the favourite is for that position," Howe said as he looked forward to tonight's game. "We looked out of it at one stage but the result on Saturday has given us a glimmer of hope again.

"It's up to us, as we've said all along, but we've got to win all our games, or go out with that intention and see where it takes us.

"Full credit to the players after going 1-0 down on Saturday. They didn't let the season peter out. They found another gear from somewhere and we finished the game very strongly, which was hugely pleasing.

"I thought we hung in there on Saturday and showed real character and hopefully we can show the same again tonight."

Howe continued: "The next game is always the biggest game and that's how I look at it. And then after that the following games will be even bigger.

"We need to make sure first and foremost that we perform, and we show the same intensity and character that we did on Saturday because it's really good to see the lads all fighting for each other.

"Teams like Middlesbrough are dangerous. They can come here and relax and play and sometimes the team with that pressure on them can struggle. But I like to think we can use it to our advantage and show that we're desperate for the points and desperate for the performance.

"We need to show that intensity and that fight and that togetherness because that was another big factor on Saturday."

Burnley still have a number of players in the squad who were there two years ago, and Howe said of that: "When you have players with experience of the big game atmosphere and having played in the Premier league it can only help us. I'd like to think they'd like to go through those experiences again.

"I've not been there myself but I'm sure there's no feeling like it. Going up through the play offs is the best way, and I'd like to think that the players are chomping at the bit to recreate that."