Clarets Clockwatch:
1 GOAL! Gray fires the Clarets ahead in just 35 seconds
34 Elliott's goalbound shot is deflected wide
43 Hyde's turn to be denied by deflection
46 Jensen turns over Sweeney's rising drive
55 Duff is a hair's breadth from doubling the lead
56 Noel-Williams just fails to connect and do likewise
80 Jensen saves superbly from Sidebe

Andy Gray's crucial goal after just 35 seconds settled a nervy encounter at the Britannia Stadium.

The Clarets striker pounced inside the first minute to score his third goal of the season via the right hand upright.

And for the remaining 89 minutes, Burnley comfortably kept City at arms length to maintain their unbeaten away record and their lofty league position.

Steve Cotterill would have hoped for a bright and breezy start from his side. But even he could not have hoped for such a dream start.

Straight from the kick off Micah Hyde took aim on the right side of the penalty area, but his path to goal was blocked by some resolute defending. However, frmo the initial block a chink opened and Hyde nonchalantly slid Gray in behind the City back line.

The former Sunderland striker needed no second invitation and slammed a low, first time drive across goalkeeper Steve Simonsen and in off the left hand post.

Stoke were rocked on their heels and in the 11th minute the Clarets came close to doubling their lead. An inventive free kick created room for Wade Elliott, whose 25 yard shot was deflected for a corner.

City were reliant on finding towering striker Mamady Sidebe at every available opportunity. But their only real chance of the opening half came when Michael Duberry's long throw found Daryl Russell, whose instinctive overhead kick was straight at Brian Jensen.

A series of niggly tackles midway through the half - most notably a studs-up challenge from Sidebe on former Potters defender Wayne Thomas - threatened to light the blue touch paper in an already passionate affair, given the number of ex-City personnel in the Clarets camp.

But thankfully, Premiership referee Chris Foy kept his head to nip any potential flare-ups under control.

And as Burnley continued to mop up at the back, they created another opening in the 34th minute when Gray's strong hold-up play and cross led to Elliott's shot, which was deflected and looped into Simonsen's grateful arms.

A wholly satisfactory half drew to a close with Gray again holding up play long enough to play in Hyde, whose shot through a ruck of bodies caught a fortunate boot to again save City's skins.

City began the second half as they ended the first, throwing everything at the Clarets without much luck as, despite their early forays into enemy territory, Jensen remained largely untroubled.

Peter Sweeney did test the Dane with one rising drive, but otherwise the game quickly deteriorated into a spell of niggly challenges and tussles.

And as Burnley weathered the early storm they continued to create the better openings. Steve Jones fired well over and Gifton Noel-Williams slipped at the far post when the simplest of connections to Elliott's cross would have doubled the advantage.

Michael Duff also just failed to connect in front of a gaping goal when Elliott, who was enjoying a terrific game, swung over another dangerous cross, this time from a left-sided free kick.

Noel-Williams, who carried on the form he showed following his hat-trick in midweek, then found a yard of space in the box with eight minutes remaining, but his driven cross was just too far ahead of strike partner Gray.

Jensen was finally tested five minutes from time when Mamady Sidebe spun in the area and forced a fine tip over from the Clarets keeper with a stunning volley.

And the Clarets survived an almighty scramble in stoppage time when substitute Carl Hoefkens could not force the ball home from eight yards.

Burnley: Jensen, Harley, McGreal, Thomas, Duff, Elliott (Sinclair 90), J O'Connor, Hyde, Jones (Lafferty 90), Gray, Noel-Williams (McCann 86)
Subs not used: Foster, Spicer.

Booked: Elliott 71, Harley 90

Stoke: Simonsen, Griffin, Duberry, Hill, Higginbotham, Chadwick (Rooney 74), Brammer, Russell, Sweeney (Hoefkens 62), Sidebe, Bangoura (Paterson 44)
Subs not used: Pulis, Duggan

Booked: Griffin 72

Ref: Chris Foy