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There might not have been a wave of optimism around the ground ahead of kick off but there was, at least, more enthusiasm than we'd seen for some time. The Laws era just hadn't worked and there was no doubt that the atmosphere as I arrived for this games was somewhat different than the one I'd left four days earlier after that Scunthorpe showing.
Stuart Gray made changes, as expected, and there were four of them in all. Michael Duff replaced Andre Bikey in defence, Jack Cork's place in midfield was taken by Dean Marney and further up the pitch Chris Eagles and Chris Iwelumo returned at the expense of Ross Wallace and John Guidetti.
The four players replaced all took their places on the bench in what was an unchanged match day squad of 18, the other subs being Brian Jensen, David Edgar and Steven Thompson.
For the second time in a week we found ourselves playing towards the Jimmy McIlroy end (or is that now the Jimmy McIlroy MBE end?) in the first half. It's not something we enjoy doing and the results are usually not good when we are forced to play that way in the first half.
However, we came so close to giving Gray the perfect start with what should have been two opportunities in the first two minutes. Marney might have done better with a header in the very first minute that he could only place straight into Blades' goalkeeper Richard Wright's hands and a minute later we had a very good shout for a penalty when Iwelumo went down under a challenge from Johnny Ertl.
Referee Rob Shoebridge, who is cutting a rather portly looking figure these days, said no and in fairness he didn't get a lot wrong during the afternoon. A penalty then, though, would have given us the chance to grab just the start we wanted.
And then, just a few minutes later, we got the start we most definitely didn't want as Sheffield United went in front. They'd already seen one effort parried by Lee Grant when, with only nine minutes gone, the ball was played into the box to Jamie Ward.
The Wembley hand ball expert turned Clarke Carlisle too easily and got a good shot in which Lee Grant did well to get to. Grant could only parry it and straight to Mark Yeates who was allowed to get a shot in that rolled into the bottom corner with the goalkeeper helpless.
The murmurings of discontent in the stands were all too evident but on the pitch we continued to try and take the game to them but we weren't really creating much in terms of goalscoring opportunities. The closest we came was when Eagles and Jay Rodriguez linked up with Jay seeing his shot saved by Wright.
It probably needed something out of the ordinary and that's exactly what we got just before the half hour. A ball was cleared from their penalty box but straight to Eagles some 35-yards from goal. He hit his shot from that distance and it hit the inside of the right hand post before hitting the far corner of the net. Whether the goalkeeper got any sort of touch was difficult to see.
We certainly deserved to be level and in the last quarter of an hour of the first half we were very much the better side. Even so, as the fourth official got up with the half time board it was all square at 1-1 and, having been behind, it was a half time scoreline that I don't think anyone would have been unhappy with.
Yes, 1-1 at 45 minutes but by the time the referee blew that half time whistle we were 3-1 up and well and truly in the driving seat.
It started with a free kick on the left hand side and not too far over the half way line. Duff spotted Iwelumo and expertly hit the free kick for the striker to get on the end of to head home.
A minute later and it was three. Tyrone Mears and Wade Elliott linked well down the right and when Elliott's cross was flicked on by Iwelumo it was well finished by Jay Rod who drilled a left foot shot low into the corner.
Suddenly Turf Moor was lifted and it was a buoyant crowd that welcomed former captain Steven Caldwell onto the pitch at half time. He received a very warm welcome.
There were smiles on faces but of course words of caution given our ability to give away two goals leads, and my word we made a good start of doing it again when we conceded a penalty within thirty seconds of the start of the second half.
Duff was the guilty party as the Sheffield player turned him on their right and there could be no complaints at the decision that was given by referee and assistant simultaneously. Ched Evans converted and suddenly we were back in a game at 3-2.
It was just what we didn't want. Suddenly, from having what looked as though it would be a reasonably comfortable second half in front of us we were now back to just a goal in front and Sheffield United had their tails up.
We had a difficult period to face but, other than once save from Grant, they didn't create too much in terms of chances and eventually we got back on the front foot. It just needed a fourth goal and surely that would be it, but it just wouldn't come. Both Eagles and Elliott were causing them some problems and Jay Rod was twice so close to getting his second of the game as balls came into the box.
Sheffield United had made two changes at half time, including the goalkeeper, and made a third with around twenty minutes to go. It didn't help them and at this stage there really didn't look to be too much to concern ourselves.
We didn't make a change until the last ten minutes and it was no surprise when Steven Thompson came on for Iwelumo. Just a few minutes later Thommo got his first league goal of the season and that was it with just enough time for David Edgar to get on the first team pitch for the first time since our 3-3 draw at Bramall Lane.
Eagles did really well. After almost losing the ball initially he worked himself into a good position before playing the ball through for Thommo who still had a bit to do with defenders around him but he calmly slid the ball into the bottom corner. It was time to relax; the points were ours and a much needed winning start to 2011.
We've played better this season without a doubt, and we've played better and not won. But we've also played a lot worse, and we don't need very long memories to recall that.
This was a much brighter performance and reflected the weight that has lifted from Turf Moor. For whatever reason the Laws era was not working and it was affecting team and fans alike. Yesterday the players seemed to play with much more freedom and, whilst not being perfect by any means, the crowd were certainly better than they've been for a while.
Supporters were very much happier as they left the ground and, had we managed to get another goal we'd have had a couple of hours or so back in the top six.
I spent most of the evening watching the Morecambe & Wise stuff on BBC2 and maybe Burnley brought us some sunshine to bring in the New Year.
The teams were;
Burnley: Lee Grant, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Duff, Brian Easton, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott (David Edgar 90), Dean Marney, Chris Eagles, Chris Iwelumo (Steven Thompson 80), Jay Rodriguez. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Andre Bikey, Jack Cork, Ross Wallace, John Guidetti.
Sheffield United: Richard Wright (Steve Simonsen 45), Jean Calve, Nyron Nosworthy (Elian Parrino 45), Matt Lowton, Johnny Ertl, Lee WIlliamson (Daniel Bogdanovic 72), Mark Yeates, Leon Britton, Richard Cresswell, Ched Evans, Jamie Ward. Subs not used: Rob Kozluk, Kingsley James, Jordan Slew, Matty Harriott.
Yellow Card: Lee Williamson.
Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).
Attendance: 14,897.