STAN Ternent, who's Burnley side knocked Brentford out of the FA Cup on Saturday, has backed his old pal Wally Downes to join him in the First Division next season.

Downes and Ternent won the Second Division Championship with Bury in 1996 and the Burnley boss was impressed with his protege's young Brentford team when the sides clashed at Griffin Park on Saturday.

He said: "I thought Brentford were excellent. If they take that form in to their remaining league fixtures they'll be a threat."

Burnley ran out 3-0 winners, but the scoreline did not do justice to a battling Brentford performance. The home side had nine second-half corners and two late Burnley goals flattered the First Division team somewhat.

The match began in frantic fashion and Scott Marshall could have broken the deadlock with a header in the fourth minute. But the first-half was marred by injuries to Kevin O'Connor and Leo Roget. A nasty clash between O'Connor and Drissa Diallo saw the midfield man stretchered off while Roget pulled a hamstring.

Burnley went ahead within six minutes of the restart. A mix-up in the Brentford defence let in Robbie Blake who cooly slotted home past the advancing Paul Smith.

After going behind, Brentford rallied magnificently and only a wonderful save from Burnley goalkeeper Marlon Beresford prevented Jay Smith from levelling the scores.

Their best chance came just ten minutes from time when Stephen Hughes saw his header ricochet off the inside of the post.

But in the 85th minute, another defensive error, this time by Ibrahima Sonko, allowed Glen Little to pick the ball up on the edge of the penalty area. He threaded a ball through to Paul Cook who finished magnificently with the outside of his left foot.

With the game dead and buried, Little rubbed salt into the wounds when he skipped through the defence for the third.

Bees defender Scott Marshall said that the whole team were desperately disappointed by the result.

He said: "We're gutted. I thought the work rate was tremendous. I can't believe we haven't come away with anything.

"If we play like that in the league each week, we'll be pushing for the play-off's."

January 29, 2003 18:00