JOEY Barton felt that justice prevailed after he had first-half penalty appeals turned down on his East Lancashire derby debut.

The Burnley midfielder went down under Grant Hanley’s challenge — and then, after referee Keith Stroud denied a spot-kick, was tripped by the defender on the edge of the box.

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But Barton admitted he took solace in Scott Arfield’s winner.

Barton said: “This was a great battle. Credit to Blackburn — they made it the encounter (it was) but you see Scott do that every day in training. Brilliant. Top drawer.”

And asked if he should have had a penalty, he said: “I do not know. I thought it was a penalty but justice has prevailed so no problem.

“The ref has got lots of decisions to make but I thought he was excellent.”

Of Hanley’s cynical trip, Barton said: “That is football and I am not going to complain about it. We won the game — three big points for us.”

On another day Barton might also have conceded a penalty after a clumsy collision with Tom Lawrence.

And the former Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers man again had praise for the referee’s handling of that situation.

Barton said: “I think he was looking for it, the boy. He went down and asked the question. I thought the ref was excellent. They are big decisions and some you win, some you do not.”

Blackburn dominated possession and chances but it was Arfield’s opening goal of the season that settled the first East Lancashire derby of 2015-16.

And manager Sean Dyche felt that if Burnley had ridden their luck, they had earned the right to do so over the five derbies that he has been in charge for.

Dyche said of his previous East Lancashire derby experiences: “Over my period of these games, in the first game Paul Robinson was absolutely outstanding; the second game they had a three-yard goal offside in the last two minutes and we had 10 men; the third game they get a deflected goal. The fourth game, we finally win it.”

But he admitted the Clarets had a let-off when Tom Lawrence blazed high and wide after being played in by Jordan Rhodes.

Dyche said: “There is a balance to how the luck has adapted over those games.

“We had a moment of luck with a golden chance missed (by Lawrence) but we certainly found a way to win. We have done it for a long time now and been productive with it.”

Dyche said he still feels there is more to come from the third-placed Clarets.

He said: “Looking beyond the emotion of the game, credit to Blackburn, they were at home, they wanted to win the game, they had only lost once this season at home. There was plenty of energy about them.

“We still think we can improve, the on-pitch relationships, know-how, getting used to new players — but we are certainly going along strongly.

“The supporters saw the players give everything.

“That is a marker and you remember when I walked in three years ago I said the only thing I can guarantee is that the players will always give everything to the cause — and we saw that.”