And once again it went in North End's favour as referee Paul Taylor gave two spot-kicks to the home side to keep their promotion push on track.

The Clarets complained both decisions - a trip by keeper Brian Jensen on Stephen Elliott and a handball by Burnley skipper Stephen Caldwell were harsh in the extreme.

But Preston gleefully accepted the decisions with Callum Davidson netting the first and sub Neil Mellor stepping forward to knock in the second.

Davidson's penalty after 53 minutes broke the deadlock after a fairly ordinary first half in which neither team could conjure up the piece of magic needed to find the net.

But when Robbie Blake, so often a thorn in North End's side over the years, came on as a sub and levelled matters in the 77th minute with a curling free-kick off the inside of the left-hand post from 30 yards, it looked like the two rivals would share the spoils and remain just a point apart in the table.

But Mellor, sent on with six minutes remaining in the hope he could find a winner, needed just 60 seconds to score his ninth of the season. Caldwell was judged to have handled as a ball boun ced into the box and the club's top scorer grabbed the ball to finish Burnley off.

Both sides had huffed and puffed in the first half but neither could find a way through.

The nearest either side came was chance after 21 minutes which Chris McCann somehow spooned over from barely three yards out.
Keeper Andrew Lonergan had to make an acrobatic save to turn away a spectacular dipping volley from Chris Eagles just before the break.

At the other end central defenders Sean St Ledger and Youl Mawene both went close with back post headers. And North End had a penalty shout rejected when Elliott appeared to be fouled as he raced through on goal.

Preston had the first chance of the match when St Ledger was only inches too high with a header from a corner.
And with only six minutes on the clock North End were screaming for a penalty when Elliott went through the middle and appeared to be tripped by Steven Caldwell.

But referee Paul Taylor waved play on.
Burnley's first effort on goal was a Martin Paterson header which looked to be dipping in until Lonergan got up to turn it over the top.

Ross Wallace whipped in a cross from the left and Jon Parkin's header was straight at Brian Jensen in the Clarets' goal.

Wallace again delivered a peach of a ball into the danger area, this time from the right, but St Ledger's downward header was hoofed clear before fellow centre-half Youl Mawene could stick out a boot and turn it in.

The Clarets should have taken the lead in the 21st minute when a corner on the right fell for Clarke Carlisle, his shot was screwed across the face of goal and McCann, sliding in, somehow spooned his shot over the bar from barely three yards out.

Moments later PNE old boy Graham Alexander was not too far away with a volley from the edge of the box. And when he tried another shot, this time from 35 yards, the ball whistled past the other post.

A Wallace corner on the right was swung over everyone to the far post where Mawene met it with his head, but his effort clipped Carlisle and bounced behind for a corner.
Lonergan prevented the visitors from taking the lead five minutes before the interval when Eagles let fly with a dipping volley from out on the right of the box, but the keeper arched his back and managed to claw the ball away to safety.

Straight after the break Lonergan was called on the snuff out efforts from McCann and Paterson and did so without any problem.
After 51 minutes referee Taylor refused claims for handball in the Burnley box as Billy Jones tried to force his way through.

But two minutes later the "penalty" shouts went up again as Elliott danced past Jensen on the left and the keeper stuck out an arm to
bring him down.
This time the official pointed straight to the spot and Davidson strode forward confidently to hammer the kick into the bottom right corner.
Wallace was close to doubling Preston's lead shortly after but, after jinking inside two defenders, he curled a right foot shot inches wide of the far post.

And when Chaplow was presented with a free header against his old club he put it straight at Jensen from only 10 yards out.
Chaplow should also have done better with a chance when he was put in on goal by Sedgwick's tricky footwork, but his tame shot was knocked away for a corner.

From the flag kick St Ledger found himself with the ball at his feet 12 yards out, but his low effort was saved on the line by Jensen.
North End were now having the bulk of the possession and so it was against the run of play when Burnley produced an equaliser in the 77th minute.

The visitors were given a free-kick 30 yards from goal and sub Robbie Blake curled it into the net via the inside of the left-hand post to square things up.
Manager Alan Irvine sent on Mellor for Elliott in the 84th minute and within 60 seconds the club's top scorer put Preston back in front.

Again it was a penalty decision, with referee Taylor ruling Caldwell had handled as the ball bounced into the box. The Clarets' players protested, but it was Mellor who stepped up instead of Davidson to fire the spot-kick under the diving Jensen into the bottom left
corner and win the game.

Preston survived a big scare before kick-off when star winger Wallace needed a late fitness test to play.

The club's latest signing, who only put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half year deal this week after five months on loan, missed training on Friday and had to try out on the Deepdale pitch at 11 am before manager Irvine could name his side.

With Wallace fit to continue there was only one change to the North End side which won so handsomely at leaders Wolves last weekend, Davidson resuming at left-back after missing the victory at Molineux with rib damage.

Youngster Eddie Nolan, who has deputised so capably in both full-back positions in some big games against Birmingham, Liverpool and Wolves, stepped down to the
substitutes' bench.

Davidson and Wallace were keen to put on a good show with Scotland manager George Burley watching from the stand. Elliott and Sean St Ledger also had good
reason to pull out all the stops with Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni also in the directors' box.

Burnley, who were missing Wade Elliott through suspension. But top scorer Paterson and McCann, who were injured in midweek, were both passed fit.

The game, shown live in Sky TV, attracted a host of big names. Four former Championship managers - Ian Dowie, Steve Cotterill, Colin Calderwood and Aidy Boothroyd - were all working for the media.

And Deepdale played host to a delegation from Japanese football, with directors of every club in the J-League at the game during a fact-finding visit to England.

Preston North End: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Davidson, Sedgwick, Chaplow, McKenna, Wallace, Elliott, Parkin.
Substitutes: C Neal, Brown, Nicholson, Nolan, Mellor.

Burnley: Jensen, Duff, Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, McCann, Alexander, Gudjonsson, Eagles, Paterson, Thompson.
Substitutes: Penny, Mahon, Rodriguez, Blake, McDonald.
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)