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For the home side, Diallo remained injured, Marlon was rested, Arthur was suspended, Grant was benched, the rest were as capitulated to Watford, except that the many changes rung were in both formation and line ups. Davis was moved into midfield, Briscoe moved out of it and back to left back, displacing Branch who took Davis' defensive role. In midfield, Papadopoulos got a rare start, lining up alongside Moore, Blake, Davis and Weller, leaving Taylor to play a solo role up front.
With a collective age of eighty, the bench (Grant excluded) was a who's who of the up and comings. The man in the middle was Mike Halsey, a man of such favouritism to the visitors, that he ran this, the 114th meeting of these sides with the impartiality of Deepdale Duck.
Having lost the toss, Clarets began the brighter and were the more eager of the two sides in what was a quiet opening to the game, played in front of a subdued derby crowd, diminished in numbers in both camps by the lack of importance of the outcome. It was a full quarter of an hour before the first effort at goal arrived, this a glancing header wide of the mark by Taylor.
Keeping his distance from Lewis was an unsuccessful ploy employed by West all evening and Non Entities' main threat cut inside a lethargic challenge before sending his shot wide of the mark on the half way mark in the half.
This was followed by Taylor's blocked shot falling kindly for Weller, who managed a collectors item, a midfielders shot at goal and though it was wide it continued a much improved performance by the home side as they began to put the visitors under a short spell of pressure. This peaked with Briscoe's corner being met by Davis, whose powerful header was superbly cleared from under his own crossbar by Alexander, Lucas hopelessly beaten.
On the half hour, a rash challenge by Briscoe on Etuhu presented PNE with a dangerous free kick inside the "D". Lewis' free kick cannoned down on to the line from the underside of the bar and with home defenders static and Nicos Groundedos, it was left to two PNE strikers to get in each others way and construe to miss an open goal from little more than two yards out, causing no little merriment in the home stands.
With the game drifting towards a goalless half time, Clarets put the home defence under further pressure and took the lead five minutes from the break. West's over hit cross was collected far side by Briscoe who swung in a much better ball that was met by the head of Davis.
His glancing header was superbly saved at full stretch by Lucas who parried the ball away from goal only for it to be retrieved by Papadopopoulos, who shot home on the turn from the tightest of angles, the ball going in off the far post, much to the delight of everyone Claret and Blue, Clarets were after all in the lead for the first time in seven games. HT 1-0.
So cue the half time cheerleaders and the prospect of normal football returning to Turf Moor for once.
Into the second and Briscoe resumed clumsy challenge mode, this time the Duck awarding a foul for a challenge on Cresswell just outside the area. Now PNE's free kicks wave neat little patterns and this variety was initially well worked, intricate but crap in its execution, the final ball sailing harmlessly out of play.
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He was on hand minutes later when Cresswell's neat turn and rising shot saw a spectacular tip over. After picking up a loose ball Papadopopopulos had the freedom of the right wing and shift he did, before laying the ball inside to Blake who not for the first time, beat his man with ease before letting fly with a shot that Lucas could only parry.
After conceding many a dubious free kick, Taylor finally got a favourable decision from Deepdale Duck, the ironic cheers and sarcastic applause on the hour mark all too predictable. The moment was key though and the cheers were genuine seconds later as Clarets gained a decisive second goal from the free kick some twenty five yards from goal.
With everyone expecting a cross, Blake curled a corker into the top corner, leaving Lucas a little embarrassed, he was nowhere near, despite a late dive towards the ball as Tom Hark bellowed out.
Twenty minutes into the half and the Blake/Taylor combination again worked well, the tall striker very unlucky to see his header come back off the foot of the post.
Etuhu was replaced by Cartwright, Lynch by Mears, before Papadopopopopoulos managed a single twist and pike, resulting in a booking for Lewis. Lewis was then subbed by Skora as Craig Brown rang the last of his changes, none of which had any bearing in the closing stages of the game.
Davis was unlucky to see his run and shot go just wide of the far post as Clarets looked the more likely of the sides to score. The final ten minutes saw the Duck award a sequence of decisions and free kicks in the visitors favour, mystifying most when penalising Weller for a perfectly good challenger on Cresswell.
Another pretty pattern was woven, this time the final ball was more effective and Alexander was most frustrated seeing Nicos Guessrightos and tip over from the well struck shot.
Five minutes from time and Papadopopopopopoulos was replaced by Grant before Nicos final save of the night denied Cresswell and PNE any form of consolation, the Duck bringing proceedings to a close, with Clarets getting the points necessary to ensure safety before any further pressure increased on the team. FT 2-0.
Att:- 15,486, with 79% preferring not to watch TV.
Star Gazer
Dean West. Another performance where, when faced with a tricky wide man, he gave the freedom of the wing to his opponent. Caught out all too often with simple balls over his head, the right back berth continues to be a source of concern.
Glass Half Empty
The squad is clearly down to its bare bones. So much so, that tonight's reshuffle can only see players moved around rather than out of the picture after the weekend's display. Thankfully, PNE were a below par outfit and meekly conceded the points.
Star Geezer
The stadium vote went for Robbie Blake. My vote goes to Graham Branch. Had to play out of position in an unusual centre half role where, against a good opponent in Cresswell, he limited the shots at goal to a minimum, Cresswell rarely getting a clear sight of goal throughout. Gelled well with a much improved McGregor, for once the defence looked OK.
Glass Half Full
First clean sheet since the Stoke game at the beginning of March and Nicos third clean sheet since his return from Palace improved the goal difference for once. The Clarets grew in confidence as the game progressed and finally gained a deserved win after a run of four poor home games had seen a return of only one point.