Clarets striker Robbie Blake will be hoping he did enough as a second half substitute at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night to earn a recall to the starting line-up against Walsall.

Blake has not started a game for Burnley since the 1-0 win at Coventry City five weeks ago, restricted to being a bit part player.

But after helping to create one goal and scoring another, manager Stan Ternent will have to decide if it is the right time to put him back into the side.

This time last year, Blake was struggling for form and fitness following his £1million move from Bradford City and he was frustrated he was not able to make a contribution to the run in to the end of the campaign.

But after a hernia operation in the summer he became an ever present in the side after scoring his first Burnley goal at Derby County back in September.

His form continued to improve as he got a run of games behind him and he was a pivotal part of the team. Then he was left out as Ternent changed his formation and he has been reduced to a role as a substitute.

The Clarets have got three strikers in double figures for the season, Gareth Taylor on 13, Blake with 12 and Ian Moore on 11, but it is seven games since they lined up together.

After two demoralising defeats, in the FA Cup at Watford and the league at Bramall Lane, victory against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium is absolutely vital if the Clarets dwindling hopes of reaching the play-offs are to be revived.

Ternent did make changes for the clash with Sheffield United, recalling Steve Davis, Glen Little and Paul Weller in midfield after injury problems.

All of them looked a little bit ring rusty but Ternent said: "That game should have helped them and they need to play."

He was unhappy with the display of many of his players against the Blades and has admitted that he will have to rotate players as the matches continue to come thick and fast.

Tomorrow's game is the seventh in 18 days and there is no doubt they have performed below par in the last couple of games.

At Sheffield the back four that had looked so solid in recent weeks showed signs of fatigue with Dean West, Ian Cox and Graham Branch all struggling and Marlon Beresford having a rare off day behind them.

With a fully fit squad there are players like Nik Michopoulos, Mark McGregor and Arthur Gnohere desperate to force their way back into the manager's plans.

After the last heavy defeat, 5-2 against Reading, the Clarets bounced back with an away win at Coventry City and a clean sheet. Ternent will be hoping that his side can respond in similar fashion tomorrow afternoon. After one defeat in 14 they have lost two on the bounce so the push for the play-offs must start now.

They will kick off tomorrow 11 points from the top six. With just 12 games to go, that gap has to be narrowed sooner rather than later.