That's more like it

They had an effort cleared off the line by Jon Harley, one saved by Brian Jensen and then a header hit the bar before the otherwise impeccable Frank Sinclair gave Leon McKenzie the simplest of chances after a shocking back header. I'm not sure exactly what McKenzie was trying to do but his effort didn't even make it difficult for Jensen.

We looked in for a torrid ninety minutes but then came the goal that really did change the game dramatically. The ball was well worked down the left hand side by Frank, Harley and Wade Elliott before Harley played the ball down the line for Graham Branch. He got his cross in low but behind Andy Gray. The home debutant controlled the ball, dragged it, turned and shot past the helpless Robert Green.

It had been our first goal since Michael Ricketts gave us the lead at Ipswich, and it lifted Turf Moor both off and certainly on the field and this was a Burnley side still without John McGreal and Micah Hyde, who were both out injured. Steve Cotterill also opted to name latest signing Alan Mahon as a substitute having already named the team and worked on the team play before signing him.

Nigel Worthington and his Norwich side might not have realised it when they restarted after Gray's goal, but they were never to come close to getting back into the game as the Clarets dominated the remaining seventy odd minutes in what was our best performance for some considerable time.

Suddenly the doubts had gone, and the confidence oozed out of the side and we came close to adding a second goal on a couple of occasions. The team was working well, the two forwards were linking up well but in the centre of midfield both James O'Connor and Chris McCann were in outstanding form.

Just a few minutes before half time the crowd was on its feet again as Harley found the net following a superb ball from McCann but the assistant's flag had gone up for offside and his effort was ruled out. It looked close, and it was, the assistant looked to have got it wrong and we had to settle for a one goal half time lead.

Half time was somewhat strange, firstly Andy Lochhead came out to make the half time draw looking very much like Martin Dobson, a late change and allowed Andy to continue looking after his guests. And then there was something that could only be described as a noise, so loud that we could hardly speak to each other.

We've been losing for so long we were still nervous as the second half got underway and I thought we might face something of an early onslaught from Norwich, even if not as fierce as that at the start of the game.

It didn't materialise, we didn't let it, and just six minutes in we doubled the lead and just about clinched the points. Di Branchio had been the provider for the first one, this time he was the scorer getting up at the far post to head home the most sublime of crosses from Phil Bardsley. Bardsley had got free following a good ball from Ricketts and the chipped cross was perfect and just asked to be headed in.

Norwich were struggling, they were second best against the dominant Clarets and just past the hour a substitution brought a change of formation and a welcome for our latest signing. Ricketts, who had worked tirelessly up front gave way and we switched to a 4-5-1 formation with Alan Mahon slotting into the centre of midfield and make no mistake, we saw more than enough from him to know just what a good signing he is going to be.

He got one shot in on goal and perhaps his only blemish was caused through over eagerness when he gave a free kick away some thirty yards from our goal. It came to nothing and we saw out the remainder of the game with no problems whatsoever.

Forgetting that first quarter of an hour, when we were all at sea, this was an outstanding performance from the Clarets, and above all provided us with the win that will mean even the doubters will admit we will not be relegated.

We dominated Norwich once we had gone in front, we looked a good side again, and not the one that has struggled for goals and results ever since the turn of the year. There were outstanding individual performances all around the pitch, no one had a disappointing game, and for once choosing a man of the match is a difficult task because there were a number of candidates.

I'd so like my choice to be captain Frank, one early mistake apart he was back to his best and led the side superbly. I'd also like my choice to by Jimmy ‘Ginge' O'Connor who has been so much out of form recently but turned in a terrific performance in the centre of midfield.

But my choice is the youngest player on the field Chris McCann. We've seen him play well before but this was his best performance yet in a Burnley shirt. I think a lot of people will have stood up and taken notice of him following this showing. Well done Chris.

Norwich thought they were in with a chance of the play offs, it was always going to be difficult but they won't make it now for sure. Some thought we could still go down, we've but that one to bed now and we'll be playing Norwich again next season, that's for sure.

Welcome back Burnley – I've missed the performances and the goals recently. It was so good to come home with a big smile on my face again.

The teams were,

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Phil Bardsley, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (John Spicer 76), James O'Connor, Chris McCann, Graham Branch (Kyle Lafferty 88), Michael Ricketts (Alan Mahon 63), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Danny Karbassiyoon, Garreth O'Connor.

Norwich: Robert Green, Craig Fleming, Jason Shackell, Gary Doherty, Adam Drury (Robert Earnshaw 36), Jonatan Johansson (Ian Henderson 68), Andy Hughes, Simon Charlton (Youssef Safri 61), Carl Robinson, Darren Huckerby, Leon McKenzie. Subs not used: Paul Gallacher, Dickson Etuhu.

Referee: Colin Webster (Shotley Bridge).

Attendance: 11,938.