UNBEATEN, seven points from nine and yet another Saturday evening on top of the Championship pile - no Claret supporter would turn their nose up at that.

Before a ball was kicked this season, many Sunday tabloids were quick to launch a two-footed tackle into Burnley's hopes, forecasting a campaign of doom and gloom and, from a couple of journals, one of relegation.

It is unknown whether Steve Cotterill ripped out those articles and pinned them on the dressing room walls as a motivation trick.

But if he ordered his players to shove the doubters' words back down their throats, the response, at this embryonic stage, has been forthcoming.

Three games in, the early evaluation is so far, so good.

Burnley may have lost their 100 percent record at Hillsborough, but two wins and a draw represents a first-rate introduction from which to build.

Back-to-back triumphs over QPR and Leicester were deservedly snared, the Clarets excelling in all departments.

It was different, however, in South Yorkshire, as Burnley never hit the same heights of Tuesday night at the Walkers Stadium.

This point was owed more to a never-say-die attitude and refusal to be beaten.

Too many players were off their game, but Burnley's willingness and determination paid off when substitute James O'Connor secured a late leveller to cancel out Steve MacLean's penalty.

The Clarets may have struggled to eke out an equaliser in not-so-confident form.

A point was perhaps fortunate, as Wednesday twice struck the cross bar in the first-half, mirroring the very same anguish meted out to Cotterill's men at Leicester, when Alan Mahon and Wade Elliott thumped the woodwork.

Further to that, Burnley lacked the cutting edge from their previous two games. Too many moves broke down in midfield, a shortage in creativeness providing few opportunities in open play for Andy Gray and Steve Jones.

Although service was limited, Gray led the line admirably under close attention from Wednesday's Madjid Bougherra and Graham Coughlan.

But the ex-Sheffield United striker will be kicking himself for earning a silly red card that sees him suspended from Saturday's fixture with Wolves at Turf Moor.

For the only the second time in his career, Gray was given his marching orders, for two bookings in the final six minutes.

After being dished a yellow from referee Colin Webster for clashing with Bougherra, the 28-year-old was then sent down the tunnel for kicking the ball away after being given off-side.

It was a petulant move, although Gray claimed he never heard a whistle and looked crestfallen when Webster dipped into his pocket again.

Either way, the former Blade could not have picked a worse venue to see red, at the ground of his old club's big city rivals where his every touch brought jeers.

Gray's dismissal provided a talking point, although it did not materially influence Burnley's hopes of gleaning a share of the spoils as they tightened the defence in the final few seconds.

Unsurprisingly, Cotterill stuck to same side that out-bossed the Foxes.

Wednesday, ravaged to the bare bones with injuries, countered with five in midfield, three across the defence, with the dangerous MacLean partnered by Chris Brunt.

Despite a subdued start, Burnley were slightly the brighter and had a strong case for a penalty when Gray looked to be pushed inside the box Gray, Elliott and Micah Hyde all protested, after Gray headed over Jon Harley's left-flank cross, but Webster waved away appeals.

Mistakes then crept into Burnley's play, none more so than Harley's heavy touch which, seized upon by Frank Simek, presented Burton O'Brien for a 25-yard rocket shot that cannoned off the crossbar.

Elliott stung Brad Jones' gloves with a curling effort, but by and large, the visitors struggled to sufficiently test Wednesday's on-loan Aussie stopper.

Brian Jensen equally cut an untroubled figure until Paul Sturrock's side slammed the woodwork again.

In the best move of the opening half, MacLean and O'Brien teamed up beautifully to thread clear Brunt who, under pressure from Michael Duff, stretched to beat Jensen with a rising drive that struck the angle of bar and post.

The half-time whistle could not come soon enough for Burnley, as the fired-up hosts went close once more when O'Brien glanced Glenn Whelan's delivery across goal.

No doubt, Cotterill provided harsh words during the break, although the Clarets were pinned on the back foot within 90 seconds of the re-start.

Jensen came to the rescue, the big Dane stooping one-handed to thwart Bougherra from Kenny Lunt's driven corner. Webster then disallowed MacLean's header finish following a back-post push.

Despite a spell of possession and forcing three corners, Burnley could not summon a route to goal. Key creators Mahon and Elliott were quiet - and later withdrawn - as the Clarets struggled to penetrate a solid Wednesday rearguard.

Wednesday broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, after Harley clumsily hacked Simek's ankles as the wing-back raced into the box. From 12 yards, MacLean sent Jensen the wrong way.

Cotterill swiftly made changes, bringing on Kyle Lafferty and O'Connor, and Burnley upped their tempo with Frank Sinclair and Harley bombing down the flanks.

Pressing the Owls back, the Clarets fashioned an equaliser nine minutes from time.

Romping down the right, Sinclair sent over a far post cross, met by Chris McCann's terrific leap. O'Connor finished off the move for his first goal since last December.

The final touches were made in Dublin, but Sinclair deserves huge credit.

Concerns lingered at the start of the season that Burnley were short of a genuine right-back, but the veteran Jamaican is proving a huge asset in that position with his powerful runs and uncompromising defending.

Brunt shanked wide from close range and Wayne Thomas stopped Wade Small in his tracks as Wednesday strived to re-take the lead.

But Burnley were not be undone late on, despite Gray's late dismissal that soured a good comeback.