SAINTS ended Burnley's unbeaten home record this season by securing a valuable 3-2 win.

George Burley's side started the game in rampant fashion, going two up and hitting the woodwork twice in double-quick time.

But Burnley made them work for the points with a spirited performance.

However, in the end Saints' attacking potency was the difference between the two teams and meant Saints' recent record now reads four wins in their last six games - a period that has seen them climb to tenth in the Championship table and on the verge of the play-off places.

Saints got off to the perfect start as they took the lead after just three minutes.

Christian Dailly looked up and played the ball into the path of Bradley Wright-Phillips.

He broke the offside trap, controlled the ball into his path on his thigh and fired on the half volley across Gabor Kiraly into his bottom right-hand corner to give Saints a 1-0 lead.

They came unbelievably close to adding a second with the next meaningful effort of the match.

Gregory Vignal sprayed the ball across to Nathan Dyer who played it in to the feet of Stern John.

He looked up and pulled the trigger from 20 yards out beating Kiraly but seeing his effort hit the inside of one post, bounce across the line, hit the other post and bounce out.

Burnley had to make a change after just ten minutes with David Unsworth replacing Steven Caldwell.

Saints amazingly hit the woodwork again on 13 minutes.

This time it was Phil Ifil whose raked pass picked out Wright-Phillips who controlled and lifted his effort across the keeper only to see it hit the outside of the far post and bounce clear.

But there was no stopping them on 15 minutes when Nathan Dyer lofted a cross to the far post and Jason Euell outjumped Graham Alexander to head back across Kiraly and into the far corner for a deserved 2-0 lead.

It took Burnley until 22 minutes to have their first effort on goal with Chris McCann firing over from 25 yards.

But with their second chance of the game on 31 minutes Burnley did get themselves a goal.

Saints had opportunities to clear a high ball but didn't, allowing Andy Gray to shield it and play it into the feet of McCann.

He burst straight through the centre of the Saints defence and fired past Kelvin Davis to make it 2-1.

All of a sudden the momentum had swung and it was Saints doing the defending as Burnley pushed for another, Gray heading wide from a corner and moments later firing an effort from outside the area just past the post.

Saints still remained dangerous though and Kiraly made a good stop down to his left to keep out Wright-Phillips' sidefooted effort from 12 yards on 38 minutes.

It was a pulsating half with both sides going for it, both attacks looking decent and both defences as if they could concede at any time.

For the final few minutes Saints were content to try and keep the ball and run down the clock to get to half-time with their lead still intact and they managed it to set up an intriguing second period.

Saints created the first chance of the second period after six minutes and scored.

Inigo Idiakez played a corner back to Ifil who took a touch, looked up and whipped in a cross to the far post.

This time it was Stern John who was waiting and he thumped home his header from close range to restore Saints' two-goal advantage and make it 3-1.

Burnley had appeals for a penalty turned down when Wade Elliott's cross was blocked in the area by Gregory Vignal with the home side claiming he did it with his arm.

The Clarets made a second change on 57 minutes with Alan Mahon coming on for Robbie Blake.

Wayne Thomas made a terrific block on his return to his old club to keep out Kyle Lafferty's effort in the area as Burnley gave reminders they were still a threat.

They came even closer on 65 minutes when Elliott's cross was flicked towards goal by the head of Gray but it drifted just wide of Davis' far post.

Dyer threatened at the other end after cutting in from the left but put his shot straight at Kiraly.

Burnley made their final change on 69 minutes with Ade Akinbiyi replacing Elliott.

Saints responded two minutes later with Grzegorz Rasiak coming on for John.

He almost had an instant impact as he was picked out by Euell's far post corner but Clarke Carlisle got back to block.

Akinbiyi was the first man in the book on 75 minutes for a foul on Jhon Viafara.

Carlisle forced Davis into a save with a far post header from a corner as they went in search of a goal to get them back in to the game.

Wright-Phillips saw his effort from outside the area taken comfortably by Kiraly two minutes later.

Akinbiyi set up a nervous finish for Saints when he pulled a goal back on 83 minutes.

A simple flick around the corner was not properly dealt with by two Saints defenders and the ball fell to the Burnley sub who made no mistake with a low finish from ten yards to make it 3-2.

Burley made a change to try and stabilise things with five minutes remaining with Andrew Surman coming on for Idiakez.

Carlisle had a half chance with a header from a cross into the box but put it over the bar.

Rasiak had a chance to seal the points for Saints when he was set up by a lay-off from Wright-Phillips but with the goal gaping he miscued it wide.

It could have been a frantic finish but instead Burnley struggled to put any real pressure on Saints.

They pumped long balls forward which were dealt with fairly comfortably by the Saints defence who held firm to secure the three points.

Full match analysis and reaction in Monday's Daily Echo. Match report and pictures in The Pink.