MITCHELL Thomas has been all the way to Wembley, but admitted that Saturday's 1-0 win at Derby County had still given him one of his finest ever moments in the FA Cup.

The Clarets defender, who played for Spurs in the 1987 final, said: "That ranks among the best I've had. We're delighted to have won and we think we deserved to win the game.

"The result was a marvellous one but the performance also was a tremendous effort from everyone involved. We thoroughly deserved to win it on that performance."

Thomas again played a key part as Burnley made it into yesterday's fourth-round draw without conceding a goal in the competition so far.

"I don't think they really had a chance but it's not just the back four, it's the whole team. We start defending from the front which does help us at the back and we work for each other and grind people down.

"We did fancy our chances because we know we can defend well against anyone and as long as we didn't concede we can always nick a goal," he added.

Burnley claimed the Premiership scalp thanks to Andy Cooke's second-half goal and were roared to victory by 4,648 travelling fans.

"Once again it was amazing support and we acknowledged it at the end. But since I've come up here I've never known an away support as good as that and they deserve all the credit as well. We're just delighted we won it for them," said Thomas. Thomas' defensive partner Steve Davis was equally adamant that Burnley had got their just desserts after outplaying the Premiership side, as he also enjoyed one the highlights of his career.

"I think we thoroughly deserved it. It wasn't like a nick it and run. I think we played very well and got what we deserved," said Davis.

"I think they were lacking confidence. They have had a bad run at home and lost a lot of games. We knew if we could get about them and play our sort of game and pass it around, we would be a match for them, and that's how it turned out.

"The manager and Sam keep drilling it into us that games are won on clean sheets, and we've managed to get another one on a Premier League ground and it's all credit to the team, not just the keeper and the back four.

"I think that's got to be one of the best days I've had. When I was here before, I don't think we ever beat a team from the Premier League or the old First Division, so it's a great day for the club. We'll enjoy it and then get back to business next week." Cooke confirmed the upset when he headed home his sixth goal of the season to give Davis and company a lead to protect.

"We knew that it was going to be tight and there would probably be one goal in it, and we're just delighted that we got the one," added the Clarets defender.

Derby never looked like sparing their blushes and assistant manager Billy McEwan had no complaints at the outcome.

"The best team won it on the day," he confessed.

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