LONG BALLS

It would be fair to say that Burnley and Sean Dyche have got under Aitor Karanka's skin.

First we had his comments on Monday suggesting the Clarets should have been promoted by February and then after seeing his side pegged back in stoppage time at Turf Moor he attacked the style of football from the home side.

Karanka suggested Burnley had used 'long balls' to get back into the game, that he was surprised they had done so given the quality of the squad available to Dyche and that he would prefer to 'win in style'.

So when he looked at the stats from Tuesday night he must have been disappointed to see it was actually Boro who had gone direct more often.

According to stats website WhoScored, Burnley played 436 passed to the visitors' 355, but 108 of those Boro passes were classed as 'long balls' compared to 85 from the Clarets. Food for thought.

TARGETING BARTON

There was barely two minutes on the clock when Boro captain Grant Leadbitter was booked for a reckless and crude challenge on Joey Barton.

Barton had just tidied up on the edge of his own area and the ball had gone when Leadbitter came flying in to upend the 33-year-old, who had required a late fitness test to make this top-of-the-table clash.

He'd been withdrawn at Birmingham with a tight calf in a game he had again been targeted for some rough treatment in, although somehow Blues boss Gary Rowett seemed to think it was Barton who had been the aggressor. Old stereotypes die hard.

If Leadbitter's aggression was designed to rile Barton or knock him out of the game it didn't work.

No Burnley player had more touches of the ball or more shots, and only Sam Vokes won more headers. Barton also topped the passing stats for the Clarets with 12 more than Matt Lowton. It was another big-game performance.

BRING THE NOISE

And boy did you bring it. It was an atmosphere to remember inside Turf from first whistle to last, and beyond.

Credit to the Middlesbrough fans, they made themselves heard as well in what was a terrific advertisement for the Football League.

But the Clarets fans responded to Dyche's calls to raise the volume. The atmosphere against Cardiff and Leeds at Turf Moor had been tense, like there was a sudden realisation of how much was on the line.

That was never the case on Tuesday. Indeed when Burnley went behind the noise got louder and louder. As the Clarets upped the tempo in the second half the supporters responded.

The noise reached a crescendo with that heart-stopping, exhilarating equaliser when Michael Keane found an injury time equaliser, something that is becoming his speciality.

It was the least the players deserved and the least the fans deserved. Now to get those voices back in time for Deepdale.