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After getting the day off to a fantastic start, by taking in the all conquering Youth team as they turned over Tranmere 2-0 at Gawthorpe, and stopping in at Towneley Hall for some blatant American Tourist impersonating, we arrived at the hallowed ground of the Turf for our pilgrimage.
The game itself had some significance for another youngster. Burnley's hometown hero Jay Rodriguez finally made his first start in a league game, coming in for top-scorer Martin Paterson.
Burnley started brightly with Wade Elliott and Chris Eagles seeing a lot of possession. Unfortunately for all their endeavour the final ball always seemed a little lacking.
It really wasn't a surprise when the first real chance fell to Rangers' Rowan Vine who arrived on the blindside of a ball watching Rhys Williams and met Wayne Routledge's deep cross. Luckily for us big Brian was more than alert and smothered the ball as Vine crashed it goal-wards.
It was a reminder that we were in a game and that in this league no team can be discounted, even if they change managers more often than drivers change positions in a Grand Prix. If Williams ever needed a rollicking this was it and the Great Dane duly obliged before he then gave the young Welshman a pat on the back and a few words of encouragement.
The rest of the half was pretty much one way stuff as the Clarets exerted their dominance. On 35 minutes Graham Alexander stole a wayward pass from the visitors and burst clear towards the area. Despite a ferocious shot, former Spur Radek Cerny turned his effort behind for a corner. Minutes later Rodriguez almost brought the home crowd to their feet as he sent a glancing header goal-wards only for Cerny to thwart his effort again.
As the half wound down Robbie Blake had a trademark near-post free-kick well saved and Steven Caldwell almost brought the scoreboard to life with a towering header. Despite the momentum mounting you just got a feeling that we might find another below average team difficult to see off again. We really needed a goal.
Luckily that goal didn't take long to come after the break. The Clarets came out determined to have more of a cutting edge and within minutes Jay had a shot deflected wide before former Rangers player Clarke Carlisle crashed a header against the foot of the right post from a Robbie corner. Seconds later we took the lead from an action replay.
This time Carlisle directed his header towards the centre of the goal and Eagles did enough to make sure it made it into the back of the net. Was it his goal? Both he and big Clarkey claimed it, but it definitely flicked off Eagles, so it has to be his. I am sure ClaretTony and SuffolkClaret had to assemble the goals committee to get a final decision, but it looked clear cut to me.
For the next 20 minutes Burnley were dominant. If anything Eagles saw too much of the ball. His involvement was occasionally brilliant but usually, in typical winger fashion, frustrating. On 53 minutes he and Elliott contrived to avoid scoring despite the ball pin-balling between them deep inside the QPR box.
On the hour Elliott tried an audacious over head kick which again the Czech keeper foiled and it seemed like it was just a matter of time before our goal difference was improved. Eagles had another effort that he dragged wide when several others were better placed, before he almost doubled the lead with a cross shot that Cerny had to be alert to keep out.
Somehow the goal wouldn't come and as time went on you wondered if the Londoners would emulate last week's Ram raid and tie it up. On 74 minutes Carlisle had a flash back and almost headed an equaliser for our opponents, then seconds later substitute Lee Cook ran unabated down our right side before the young Williams made up for his earlier transgression with a last ditch challenge to bring the former Fulham man to a halt.
On 82 minutes Caldwell who had been as solid as a rock all afternoon uncharacteristically slipped and presented an opportunity to Adel Taarabt. Fortunately the on loan forward was so surprised he had no time to react and the chance was gone. With that the game petered out with Rangers looking like a beaten dog, just glad that we had taken pity on them and not subjected them to further punishment.
As the referee blew his final whistle the crowd celebrated what must now see us close to confirming a top 6 finish. Seven points clear of North End with just 12 available we are all hoping that this fantastic season still has yet to reach its highest point.
Can we reach the Promised Land? Will we be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our greatest season in the Premiership? I don't know, but one thing that is certain is that my Claret mad son Holden and myself will be following everything and like many Clarets world-wide we'll be cheering on every kick. Up the Clarets!