RELIEVED Burnley boss Stan Ternent hailed his players as they went into battle at Brentford today with their promotion hopes still alive and kicking, writes Pete Oliver.

And Ternent is also being linked with another move into the transfer market -- a Sunday newspaper report claiming Burnley have lodged a £650,000 bid for Grimsby forward Lee Ashcroft.

Born in Preston, Ashcroft is thought to be looking at a move back to these parts and he is currently on the Blundell Park transfer list.

He had a training ground 'bust-up' with Grimsby boss Alan Buckley a few weeks back and was made available. But, with attention focused on their matches today, there was no-one from either club available to comment.

Meanwhile, the Clarets hung on in an incredible finish to beat Millwall 4-3 on Saturday and go above the Londoners to fourth place in the table. Burnley survived a storming fightback from the Lions who were 4-0 down after 52 minutes but then threatened to snatch at least point in the nerve-shredding dying stages.

And as a result, a fifth win in six games at Griffin Park this afternoon coupled with defeat for Wigan at Luton and no more than a draw for Bristol Rovers at Blackpool would take the Clarets into second place.

More immediately, Burnley would be only a point away from a certain play-off place if they beat out-of-sorts Brentford and Stoke lost at Scunthorpe.

"We've got nine points to play for and we intend to go and have a go at it. I don't know what will happen. But I know with the players at my disposal, they won't be found wanting," said Ternent.

He added: "We've got 79 points and we want to clinch a play-off place so if we can keep going, because all the teams keep winning, something has to give somewhere along the line.

"And it's a test of character for the players. They knew on Saturday they had to win the match and they came up trumps. "This sort of a pressure, if you want to call it that, on the players is better than the one they had last year.

"They came up trumps last year and that's testimony to them.

"We're still in their fighting and a word for the fans as well. When we were under the cosh and it got to 4-3 and they got up and started shouting and chanting for Burnley it was fantastic to hear. It was really good from them."

Burnley raced into a four-goal lead and seemingly the comfort zone, with their second goal coming from Andy Cooke on his return to the side.

And Cooke headed for Griffin Park in upbeat mood after ending his three-month wait for a goal.

He said: "With three games to play, you've just got to try and win every game, that's all you can do.

"And if we win all our games hopefully everything will take care of itself. We're still in with a shout so there's no reason why we can't do it automatically."

The Clarets missed the chance to bolster their goal difference as Millwall threatened to wipe out goals from Cooke, Ian Cox, Steve Davis and a Paul Cook special. But after their mid-week defeat by Gillingham, the result was everything.

"The main thing was we got three points," Ternent insisted.

"Again the players showed fantastic resilience and courage in my view. "We scored some good goals and we could have had more but it was a good, open game of football, with both teams going for it wanting to win the match and fortunately for us we got the three points.

"It was an absolutely fantastic response from the players. We had two or three players who weren't available to us and that's the strength of the squad.

"Some of those players haven't played for some time. Johnny Mullin was extremely tired towards the end, Cookie hasn't played for a while and he was exceptional and Ronnie Jepson hasn't played a full game and he played extremely well for us.

"I don't know who deserved to win and who didn't, it was that sort of a game.

"But it was a win and it was an important win and at this stage of the season the points are of vital importance to us."

Millwall supporters were involved with some trouble with the police during and after the game, when parts of broken seats from the cricket field stand were thrown and mounted police stood by.

Glen Little was available for the Clarets again today following suspension, but Lenny Johnrose was again expected to miss out because of a head injury.

Burnley's youth team beat Preston 2-1 with goals from Anthony Shandran and Paul Barrett in their last game to secure runners-up spot in the northern first division on the Youth Alliance.