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Gillingham were less than adventurous and happy for us to go forward but we struggled to create anything. In fact in that first forty five minutes it was Gillingham who came closest with a couple of quick breaks. Our best two efforts came from Glen Little and Steve Davis but both were blocked.
It was difficult not to pick up the news from elsewhere and particularly from Norwich where the home side had taken an early lead. Half time came and the glum faces around the stands told the story as the Clarets trooped in at 0-0 and you just got the feeling that this was how it was going to finish.
There was good and bad news from elsewhere. Norwich were still in front but Wimbledon were surprisingly behind at home to Bradford. Preston were beating Coventry in a game that would almost certainly rule one or even both of them out of it, a draw would be ideal. None of this was going to matter if the Clarets couldn't win and it didn't really look likely.
It does take two teams to make a match and to be honest Gillingham hadn't really bothered at all in the first half. We had dominated it without threatening and that was a worry. In recent games we have been creating chances but was this going to be one of those days?
I half expected at least one substitution at half time but in fact we restarted with the same eleven on the pitch. There was to be no change as the Clarets went forward and Gillingham seemed content to let us.
No matter how badly we have played at times recently it is fair to say we have been bereft of any luck. There was the blatant penalty against Bradford turned down and then there was last week against Wolves. Maybe that is what we needed and it came ten minutes into the second half.
There was no luck about the start of the move as Glen Little beat two defenders to get clear down the right and he put in an excellent cross. What ensued was a scramble and suddenly the ball rolling over the line to put us 1-0 in front. It was clear to me that the scorer was Kevin Ball from my wonderful vantage point in the Harry Potts Longside upper tier but then Ian Moore appeared to celebrate it as his goal.
Apparently it was not that clear and has still not been sorted out. It was either Mooro's or Bally's goal and we will have to wait and see what the TV channel in administration tells us.
That was all we needed and within a few minutes something predictable happened, David Johnson scored. This is his fourth home game for the Clarets and he has scored in all four. Add that to the goal at Portsmouth and it is five in six. This for me was his best.
It started with a great run from Steve Davis who played it into Johnno's path. As he made his run he was clearly being fouled but was able to brush that challenge off before turning to give the Gillingham keeper no chance with a shot across him into the far corner. ‘Sign him on', were the chants in true Nathan Peel style. Johnson is a different proposition to Nathan Peel though and I think everyone hopes that we do sign him on.
That was it to be honest. With not much less than half an hour left you just knew that Gillingham weren't going to come back. By now the Clarets had the game won, we were totally dominating the game and it was only a matter of whether we would add more goals.
There were to be two wonderful moments that had the crowd on its feet. Firstly Steve Davis went on one of his long runs out of defence that took him closer and ever closer to the Gillingham goal. He did have options to right and left but elected to shoot and missed the target by some distance.
Monsieur Arthur Gnohere watched on from the back in admiration, he of the marauding left wing runs. When Davis returned to the back Arthur was there to shake hands and you just knew he was going to have a go himself.
When he did it was one of the moments of the match as he made his way down the middle taking on all comers. He too eventually had a shot but elected to go for a delicate chip that beat Gills' keeper Brown all ends up but went narrowly, and I mean narrowly, wide. The crowd enjoyed it and Arthur certainly did as he made his way back into defence with the widest of smiles.
Nik the Greek had a save to make late in the game, probably the only real save he had to make all day, as Gillingham made a last desperate attempt for a consolation goal. They have picked up so many good results at the Turf over the years it was good to see them well beaten this time.
The final whistle blew, Tom Hark did our heads in again (when will they get rid of this appalling idea) and suddenly news started to come through. Wimbledon had lost, Norwich had only drawn. Suddenly it was a good day, remember it was only the result that was important.
The nightmare of missing out suddenly looks less likely. We have now equalled last season and any more points will mean we have improved on the previous season yet again. We can ask no more than that. One more win from the last two games should be enough to extend the season into May.
David Johnson scored again and I thought he had an excellent game but my man of the match is his strike partner Ian Moore. Whether he scored or not today matters not, he is without doubt back in form and in David Johnson seems to have found the ideal partner.
The match sponsors awarded it to Steve Davis and there is no doubt that his very presence has an effect on the side. It was good to have him back today.
As for the referee there is little to say. He kept his cards in his pocket all afternoon but at times was a bit over keen to blow up. His assistant with the plain yellow flag was something of a joke though and wasn't keen to raise his flag other than to confirm what the referee had already given. To be honest he might as well not have been there.
So it is off to Grimsby now and a win there would hopefully take any pressure off for the last game against Coventry. When I saw the fixtures and the last game being Coventry at home I just had this thought. Our last game in the top division of English football was against Coventry at the Turf, maybe our last league game prior to our return could just be the same fixture.
The teams today were,
Burnley: Nik Michopoulos, Dean West, Steve Davis, Arthur Gnohere, Mitchell Thomas, Glen Little, Kevin Ball, Tony Grant (Paul Weller 88), Lee Briscoe, Ian Moore, David Johnson (Gareth Taylor 78). Subs not used: Gordon Armstrong, Paul Gascoigne, Andy Payton.
Gillingham: Jason Brown, Barry Ashby, Guy Butters, Chris Hope, Ty Gooden, Paul Shaw (Guy Ipoua 67), Marcus Browning, Mark Saunders (Kevin James 77), Paul Smith, David Perpetuini (Richard Rose 28), Iffy Onuora. Subs not used: Vince Bartram, Danny Spiller.
Referee: Colin Webster (Shotley Bridge, County Durham).