BRAVE Burnley spoiled Swindon Town's promotion party - and edged another point towards safety.

Burnley survived an onslaught from the Division Two leaders and showed enough grit to surely see them win the battle against relegation.

Goalkeeper Marlon Beresford, playing below full fitness with a back injury, led the way with a string of fine saves to deny Town who needed victory to clinch promotion.

His heroics were closely followed by the defensive trio of Charlie Bishop, Peter Swan and Mark Winstanley who were magnificent as Burnley boss Adrian Heath played five at the back to stifle Swindon's attack.

It was all change elsewhere with Steve Thompson outstanding in midfield along with Gerry Harrison and Warren Joyce while David Eyres and Paul Weller played as wing backs.

The tactics worked a treat and the defensive rearguard restricted Swindon to just one clear chance which could be classed as something of a "sitter".

That came in the 43rd minute when Swindon skipper Shaun Taylor headed wide from five yards when it seemed certain that he would put the champions-elect ahead.

Burnley could even have stolen the show as they always looked dangerous on the counter-attack and had their best opening after only 10 minutes.

Liam Robinson charged down Taylor's clearance just inside the Swindon half and raced forward before feeding Harrison on the right hand edge of the box.

Harrison followed a low shot and Fraser Digby made a superb block to the delight of the home fans who were overjoyed at seeing the return of the popular Swindon keeper at the expense of injured Frank Talia.

But the majority of the first half it was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Burnley as Town went in search of victory.

Paul Bodin drilled inches over the crossbar when the ball fell his way on the edge of the box from Beresford's punch from David Preece's 16th minute corner.

Another Preece corner five minutes later caused chaos in the penalty area, but Joyce and Winstanley between them scrambled the ball to safety.

Peter Thorne fired just over after 27 minutes from the edge of the box and Swan made a terrific header to clear Bodin's dangerous cross 12 minutes later.

Burnley had a rare chance after 40 minutes when Weller played a long ball up to the hard-working top scorer Kurt Nogan.

Nogan was racing towards goal and lining up a shot as Digby edged out of his penalty area when Swindon midfielder Scott Leitch made a superb sliding tackle to concede a corner.

The danger was not over and from the resulting flag kick taken by Eyres, there was panic in the Swindon six-yard box as the corner skimmed across the face of goal and only needed a slight touch to turn it goalwards.

Then came a double let-off in the closing stages of the half.

First Thorne hit a great shot from 12 yards which produced an even better save from Beresford who turned the ball round at full stretch for a corner.

From the resulting corner, taken by Bodin, Wayne Allison flicked the ball on at the near post making it near impossible for Burnley to defend.

Taylor rose unchallenged at the far post and it seemed certain that he would score - only for the big defender to head wide of the target from five yards.

The second half, however, was more exciting with Town throwing everything forward which left Burnley space to strike on the break.

First came a Town chance after 55 minutes when Kevin Horlick released Allison, but Beresford was quick off his line and smothered the ball bravely at the big striker's feet on the edge of his box.

Then in true cat and mouse style, Burnley countered with Nogan leading the charge before being tackled by Ian Culverhouse.

The ball fell to Joyce who struck a powerful 20-yard shot which Digby did well to hold.

Next it was Burnley's turn to defend after 76 minutes when Bodin whipped in a cross from the byline and it seemed destined for Thorne's head.

But Winstanley made a superb - yet subtle - headed clearance to just nudge the ball to safety.

Both sides refused to settle for the point and there was counter-attack followed by counter-attack and the two teams had the home fans on the edge of their seats for a nail-biting final spell of the second half.

Paul Mahorn came on for the tiring Nogan in the closing stages, but could not make an impression and it was left to Town to make the final running.

But late substitute Steven Cowe came the closest when his mazy run took him into the Burnley penalty area, but he could not find a way past the resolute rearguard.

Swindon now face a championship showdown at Blackpool while Burnley travel to promotion-chasing Notts County. A similar battling performance at Meadow Lane should push Adrian Heath's men another step closer to safety.

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