BURNLEY captain Chris Brass was facing a check on a knee injury today as the casualy list at Turf Moor shows few signs of abating.

Leading scorer Andy Payton also picked up a dead leg in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic and Glen Little broke a finger to go with a knock on the leg he picked up.

That means three of Burnley's most influential players are added to the list of walking wounded but with a clear week ahead of Saturday's trip to Manchester City at least manager Stan Ternent has time on his side.

Brass may be the biggest worry and was due to have the injury, sustained when Stuart Barlow landed heavily on him after Brass had beaten the Latics' striker to a cross, assessed today.

But the skipper - a key part of Ternent's plans given his versatility - is opitmistic he will be able to maintain his 100 per cent attendance record this season.

"It's quite sore but fingers crossed it will be alright," he said.

And there is also light at the end of the tunnel for Ternent in the shape of Steve Morgan who may be able to resume full training by the end of the week after a knee cartilage operation.

Burnley were on target for their first win in five games thanks to Brian Reid's first goal for the club until Pat McGibbon scored an injury-time equaliser from a corner - a costly source of goals for the Clarets in recent games.

That spoiled Reid's double celebrations after he had become a father for the first time in the week to set up what looked like being a perfect few days.

"I was hoping so," confirmed Reid. "I could not see them scoring at all and then when it happened it was like the same old story, here we go again.

"These are things we need to get out of our game, losing goals like that. We haven't played one team who have cut us up or run through and beat us in open play, that's the disappointing thing as well." Not a regular on the scoresheet, Reid was delighted to get off the mark for his new club.

He added: "I scored two for Greenock Morton last season but they were both with my head. I have not scored that many with my feet, especially a wee lob. It's always nice to score in front of your home fans."

"Life's full of disappointments," was Ternent's assessment after a game he thought his side deserved to win.

"I thought they did very well and I am proud of them all. Unfortunately it didn't work out in the end but it was a good point against quite a strong side," he said.

Ternent was adamant that Wigan should not have been awarded the free-kick from which the Clarets conceded the corner that proved to be their undoing.

And certainly the rub of the green has not favoured Burnley on a couple of crucial decisions so far this season.

"Sometimes you have to take it on the chin and it's how you react (that counts)," Ternent added.

"None of them did a lot wrong. Unfortunately on the corner our player got the flick on and the guy's only got to make a good contact which he did.

"The game is for 90 minutes and you can score in the first or the last. It's just when the ball goes in late in the game it's hard to take, especially when the side is full of young kids.

"But they will learn from it, that's the main thing, and the future of Burnley Football Club looks as though it's in decent hands."

Matt Heywood was the latest teenager to make a full debut and slotted in comfortably into the centre of the defence in place of the suspended Peter Swan and alongside the impressive pairing of Reid Gordon Armstrong.

"I though Gordon Armstrong was different gear, Brian as well," added Ternent. "But I know Gordon and I know what he does. He gives that level of performance all the time."

Burnley's 'A' team beat Southport 3-0 but the under-18s went down 6-0 at Preston.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.