Well over 1,300 of us turned up in the hope of seeing us take top spot and we weren't to be disappointed as a Sam Vokes penalty and a late own goal from Doncaster's giant defender Rob Jones ensured the latest three points.
By the final whistle there were few Burnley supporters left seated as the celebrations began after another richly deserved three points came our way to take our club to a record points haul from the first ten games of any season since the rules changed to award three points for a win in 1981.
It was a fourth successive league win for the first time since 2005 and a third successive away win, last achieved in November and December 2011 with wins at Hull, West Ham and Brighton.
That might not have been the tale to tell after an indifferent start to the game, but our confidence, and our ability to get results, eventually allowed us to take control of the game, a game that even opposing manager Paul Dickov fully admitted we deserved to win.
The journey over was without incident, a rarity this season that has already seen road closures, road works and overturned caravans delay things, and as the Burnley supporters began to arrive, those without tickets forming queues outside, the team news came through and it was as expected.
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| Jason Shackell led the defence that kept another clean sheet |
Dean Marney had to sit this one out serving a one match suspension. David Edgar got the midfield role with his place on the bench taken by Ryan Noble. In one other change, Kevin Long returned to the bench at the expense of Luke O'Neill.
Much has been said about how we've started games this season and that has certainly applied away from home, particularly at Derby and Leeds, when we've grabbed the initiative right from the kick off.
That wasn't the case last night and for the opening quarter of an hour at least we were almost second fiddle to a Doncaster team who were certainly looking keen to get one over on one of the division's top teams.
Having said that they didn't create too much with their Manchester United loan player Federico Macheda having the best opportunity. He forced Tom Heaton into a save but he'd clearly used his hand to control the ball and got away with it.
It wasn't the only thing he got away with either. Just before the half hour he challenged, and I use the word challenged very loosely indeed, Ben Mee. He was so late he'd have missed the next bus let alone the one he went for.
Sometimes, in these situations, it is not always clear from the stands just how bad it is. This one was bad. I was 100% certain I was going to see a red card and stunned when the inept Roger East produced a yellow.
Just to even things up, and a few minutes later, James Coppinger also saw yellow for a challenge on Kieran Trippier on the opposite side of the pitch. That card looked fair.
By this time Doncaster's threat was over and we were getting more and more into the game. Playing towards the far end we were seeing less and less of the action at close quarters as David Jones and Scott Arfield began to take over proceedings.
Both Edgar and Danny Ings might have done better with headers that were saved comfortably by Ross Turnbull and Vokes was denied by a good defensive header. Turnbull then saved from Ings but minutes later there was nothing he could do to prevent us taking the lead.
It was Good Friday last time we won a penalty, converted by Charlie Austin right in front of us at Vicarage Road in the 3-3 draw against Watford.
Ings and Jones linked well before Jones found Vokes. He took one touch to get into the box but was brought down by Jones. East didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot.
Now this has been a bit of a debate recently as to who would take any penalties. Charlie is gone and the new regular penalty taker, Ross Wallace, is out injured long term. I had Jones, Trippier or possibly Ings on my list of possibles. I did not have Vokes.
But Vokes it was, just as the board was going up for stoppage time, and he stroked it home into the bottom left hand corner.
Doncaster might have considered themselves a little bit unfortunate to not have gone in level but we really had got ourselves very much into the game and when Burnley get into games this season we invariably score goals.
The early part of the second half was something different altogether. It was on a par with the opening spells at Derby and Leeds as we totally dominated play. This time we didn't score but how I'm not sure. We seemed to be able to carve them open at will but we weren't just able to apply the finishing touch.
Poor Jones. He'd given the penalty away and then almost put through his own goal. Arfield, Jones, Ings were all close and Vokes twice, after turning brilliantly in the box, missed out.
Another goal then and I'm sure the floodgates would have opened but as it turned out we had some more defending to do.
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| David Jones was outstanding in the midfield |
Suddenly Doncaster had a chance to equalise. Macheda hit his shot way too high. Much has been said of him and his impact on this Doncaster team, but on last night's showing he certainly wouldn't win a place in our side.
That was his last chance and in truth it was Doncaster's last chance. They had a spell but didn't really create much and I always thought we might have another goal in us. It almost came when Michael Kightly all but set up Ings. Doncaster somehow managed to scramble that away but, with two minutes of normal time left, that second goal did come and allowed us to relax for the remaining few minutes of the game.
I've seen some strange descriptions of this goal, even one suggesting that it bounced off the post and hit Jones.
Incredibly it came from a left wing corner. Kightly got too much for it and it was collected by Arfield out on the right touchline. He played in Trippier whose cross was going across goal, but it looped up off Jones and hit both post and goalkeeper before it nestled into the net right in front of us.
That was it. Six minutes of stoppage time became seven but really should have been longer. Doncaster were beaten, we'd won and we were top of the league with every Burnley fan letting everyone in Doncaster know.
There might have been a third but Turnbull saved well from Vokes and then from Keith Treacy who had joined the fun just after the second goal.
As the final whistle blew the cries of 'We are top of the league' got louder and louder as did those for the manager whose popularity at Burnley has certainly never been higher in his almost twelve months at the club.
He spoke about his defenders after the game, and how well they've been playing, keeping all those clean sheets. We've all spoken about the forwards, almost game by game, but last night I thought both Jones and, in particular, Arfield were simply outstanding in the midfield.
I'm not daft. I know football gives you highs and lows. I know things can change quickly, but it's been a high virtually all of this season so far and it's just brilliant being part of it.
Finally a word about Doncaster. Last night they had Supporter Liaison Officers available outside the ground, ready to offer help to any Burnley supporters where needed. The home club even positioned a Sean Dyche look-a-like steward outside the away turnstiles.
We spoke to Lee , one of the Supporter Liaison Officers and what a credit he is to his football club, a volunteer offering his help in this way. A lot of clubs can learn from what they are doing.
But the big well done goes to our team, on the touchline and on the pitch, for another superb night as Burnley went top of the league.
The teams were;
Doncaster: Ross Turnbull, Paul Quinn, Bongani Khumalo, Rob Jones, James Husband, David Cotterill (Mark Duffy 59), Richie Wellens, Paul Keegan (Theo Robinson 75), James Coppinger, Chris Brown, Federico Macheda. Subs not used: John Maxted, Dean Furman, Luke McCullough, Kyle Bennett, Reece Wabara.
Yellow Cards: Federico Macheda, James Coppinger.
Burnley: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, David Edgar, David Jones, Michael Kightly (Keith Treacy 88), Danny Ings (Brian Stock 90+3), Sam Vokes. Subs not used: Alex Cisak, Kevin Long, Danny Lafferty, Junior Stanislas, Ryan Noble. Yellow Card: Jason Shackell.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).
Attendance: 7,836 (including 1,385 Clarets).