Burnley 0-0 Leeds: Unfashionable Clarets claim another clean sheet

The weather in Lancashire was wretched on this January evening and the action on the pitch did not fare much better.

It was the fourth 0-0 witnessed by the Clarets supporters in the last five home games, which is testing their resolve more than their backline on the pitch.

This contest will leave those clipping up the highlights with slim pickings – Dan James’ rising strike late on which was pushed over the crossbar by James Trafford was the only save made by either goalkeeper.

But the shutout highlights Burnley’s defensive solidity, with their number one now keeping 20 clean sheets from 29 league games and conceding a miserly nine goals all campaign.

It was also their seventh straight clean sheet and the record books weigh heavily on Burnley’s side when taking into account defensive records in the push for promotion.

Since the second tier of English football was rebranded to the Championship, 15 of the 20 teams to have conceded the fewest goals per season finished in the top two.

The entertainment factor may be lacking, but Burnley are on course to rewrite the Championship record of 30 goals conceded in 46 games by Preston North End in 2006 and Watford four years ago.

“Defensively we were rock solid again and I get that isn’t fashionable and people don’t want to talk about that, they want to highlight we have not scored many goals, but what this team have done so far defensively has been nothing short of remarkable,” Parker added.

“It has given us a platform at this moment in time to be in and around where we are.”

The question is though, will it be enough to climb back into the Premier League come May?