On the Cross verdict: Burnley 2 Saints 3

Line-up

Burley made just the two changes from the home win against Plymouth, with fit again Djamel Belmadi coming in for Dyer and Bradley Wright-Phillips coming in for Jones after his double strike in the Carling Cup.

Wright again kept his place at right back, with Ostlund not even making the bench after a mixed performance early in the week. Despite showing touches of his trademark magic on the ball Belmadi was hustled out of it, meaning Saints had little penetration down the right hand side against a well organised Burnley side well up for the game.

The left flank performed much better with Skacel slowly starting to show his class and Makin showing why George Burley rates him so highly with two excellent crosses for the two headed Rasiak goals. He certainly looks more at home on the left and is at present keeping the talented Gareth Bale out of the side.

Up front Wright-Phillips struggled to make the same kind of impact on the game as he did against Millwall against a strong Burnley defence which would have found it harder to cope with the threat of big Kenwyne Jones. Fortunately, for Saints Rasiak was bang on form with two sweetly taken headers.

On the Cross verdict

The fact that this win was 12 years in the making made it all the sweeter, as Saints came from 1-0 behind to win away for the first time since 1995. It was a tough battle of third against fourth and Burnley can feel hard done by not to get anything from the game, as Saints back luck from the Ipswich game seemed to have evened itself out.

For once, Saints' defence struggled to show their usual composure with Pele muscled out of it by Gray and Noel-Williams. Saints have coped well up to this point with the physical approach, but we missed Claus Lundekvam's calm and experience, as well as a right back playing at right back.

As it is we can trot out the cliché about great sides winning when playing badly and thank the superior quality of our finishing with three excellent strikes, including another screamer from Rudi Skacel from 25 yards. How we will need that kind of quality in the season ahead, with so few points between the sides at the top.

A fourth win in a row leaves Saints in confident mood for the visit of lowly QPR on Saturday, who will arrive on the back of a vital home win for new manager John Gregory. However, if Saints can get our 'A' game firing and maintain the standard of finishing after our previous wastefulness then we can start threatening the top two, a tantalising single point above.

Man of the match: Every top side needs a top goal-scorer and Gregorz Rasiak once again delivered when it really mattered with two clinical headers to become the league's top scorer.

Cameo of the day: Nathan Dyer will have enjoyed his return to the club where his professional career kicked off on loan, as he put in a trademark energetic display at the close. Sorry, Burnley, you can't have him back!

Lemon of the day: Wayne Thomas' early red card for an elbow on Jhon Viafara allowed Saints back into the game after Burnley came out firing on all cylinders, with Saints barely out of first gear.