DEAN Bowditch hopes to help Burnley out of a hole after joining on loan from Ipswich Town last night.

The England U19 striker goes straight into the squad to face Rotherham United at Turf Moor on Saturday after agreeing to an initial one-month deal.

And Bowditch aims to hit the ground running as Burnley seek their first league goal of 2005 at Turf Moor at the fifth attempt.

The Tractor Boys striker said: "Steve Cotterill has a good reputation as a manager and it's nice to know that I am going to a side also with a good reputation.

"Burnley are doing very well, but I understand they want to score a few more goals and hopefully I will be able to help them.

"I have not been in the Ipswich side as often as I felt I might be this season, so I spoke with the manager (Joe Royle) about my position and he agreed that going out on loan is good for my career at this point."

Bowditch, who has mainly been a substitute at Portman Road this season, refused to rule out extending his loan spell if he proves to be a hit at Turf Moor.

And Cotterill was delighted to swoop for the teenager, who snubbed a similar loan move to Oldham to link up with Burnley instead.

The Clarets boss said: "Dean is a good, young and very exciting player who we are looking forward to seeing in our team.

"He hasn't had too many opportunities to shine this season, but hopefully we can see him shine here over the next few weeks."

Bowditch, who played alongside John McGreal in Suffolk, is described as a lightening quick striker with a good footballing brain.

He initially joined Town at the age of ten, made his debut at the tender age of 16 and marked his first start at Portman Road last season with a hat-trick against Watford.

Able to operate either as an orthodox striker, or play a deeper role on the left, Bowditch is now an established member of the England U19 side that face a crucial qualifying mini-tournament later this month ahead of this summer's U19 Euro Championships.

Town manager Joe Royle, who recently persuaded the teenager to sign a new contract that will keep him at Ipswich until 2008, said: "Dean needs first-team football to take him on to the next level and he hasn't been getting much of that here lately.

"We agreed a loan would be good for him if the right club came along and we all hope he does well at Burnley and gets a few goals.

"That's what he needs now, first-team experience and a couple of goals to his name."