SATURDAY’S win over Wednesday might not have been a great performance. Sean Dyche admitted as much in his post-match Press call, when he was at pains to point out that “not for one minute do I think that we are the real deal”.

Yet a win is a win. And in recording their first victory over the Owls since October 2000, the Clarets managed to propel themselves into the top six.

Pleasing though it is to be in the play-off berths, there were other — arguably more important — reasons to be cheerful by the time Steve Martin blew for full-time.

Because as well as taking all three points, Burnley got several monkeys off their back in banishing their Sheffield Wednesday hoodoo.

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One statistic which has been doing the rounds for some time is that Burnley had not scored at Turf Moor from open play since Danny Ings nodded home against West Bromwich Albion in February. That was put to bed when Matt Taylor volleyed home Andre Gray’s centre to restore Burnley’s lead.

Taylor is beginning to show us what we missed out on last season, when he spent more time on the treatment table than he did on the pitch. An intelligent footballer with terrific technique, the 33-year-old has demonstrated that he is a handy option for the manager to have when he needs to change things from the bench.

As for Gray, one imagines that becoming the first Burnley striker to score at Turf Moor this term meant he was walking a little taller having shed some of the weight of expectancy that comes with being a record signing. His stoppage-time goal involved persistence, presence of mind and skill. That, along with his assist, will take some pressure off his shoulders.

Following victories over Brentford and Bristol City, that is three consecutive wins. That might not sound like much to write home about until you stop to consider that gathering momentum in the Championship is a difficult trick to perform.

With Dean Marney on the road to recovery and Joey Barton getting closer to match fitness, things are beginning to look promising.

They will look better if we can manage another three points tomorrow.