Albion, in their new away kit of all black, came under threat in the second minute when Little turned to deliver a dangerous cross into the box from the right flank.

It was headed away by Watson as far as Grant who fired well over from long range.

Albion responded with a typically weaving run by Brooker which the sturdy Frenchman Gnohere ended with a firm challenge deep inside his own area.

The ball eventually broke to Carpenter to try his luck from fully 30 yards and he was only just too high.

Hinshelwood showed no early nerves, calmly exchanging short passes with Pethick on the edge of the Albion box.

Zamora seemed to have given Albion a dream start in the eighth minute after Branch was penalised for uprooting Melton through the inside right channel.

Zamora got ahead of his marker to head Watson's resulting free-kick into the roof of the net.

The prolific young marksman's telepathic understanding with Watson has paid off so many times over the course of the past two seasons, but his celebrations were interrupted on this occasion by an offside flag.

It was a controversial moment and Zamora was cruelly robbed of a goal again just five minutes later.

Brooker twisted and turned before crossing deep towards the far post.

Burnley keeper Michopoulos was nowhere as Zamora guided a header towards the vacant goal, only for Branch to deflect it for a corner.

Albion came close to forcing the breakthrough their positive start deserved ten minutes later.

Steve Melton latched onto a Paul Watson cross to fire in a right-footed drive from the edge of the box, which was parried by Nikolaos Michopoulos in the Burnley goal.

Burnley offered little by way of an attacking threat in the opening quarter of the contest.

West failed to keep a header down from a cross by Briscoe although he claimed he was being pushed at the time.

A promising run by Ian Moore, Burnley's joint record £1 million signing from Stockport, was brought to an end by Watson as he over elaborated.

Albion were looking bright and inventive going forward. Melton could not get enough power in a swivelling volley from a Watson cross to trouble Michopoulos, Burnley's Greek international keeper.

Albion's former Nottingham Forest and Stoke midfielder was not far wide of the mark shortly after from a well rehearsed free-kick routine involving Watson, Carpenter and Pethick.

Melton's enterprise was rewarded with a well-worked and richly deserved goal for Albion in the 29th minute.

Zamora threaded him through the middle with an inch perfect pass which Melton calmly finished right-footed from 12 yards.

Melton indicated earlier this week that he is keen to take over the goalscoring role from midfield adopted by Junior Lewis during his successful loan stint from Leicester for the last three months last season.

It was an ideal way for Melton to launch that quest, but his goal proved to be his last meaningful contribution.

He was forced off injured after 35 minutes, club Captain Rogers taking his place.

The shots on target count of five for Albion and none for Burnley succintly summarised the pattern of the half.

Taylor, Burnley's leading marksman last term, looped a header over from Blake's centre, then home skipper Davis directed a diving header well wide from West's cross.

In between the impressive Brooker shot straight at Michopoulos following slack Burnley defending.

The Seagulls finished the half strongly, Hart instinctively heading over when the ball came to him quickly from a Watson corner.

Half-Time: Burnley 0 Albion 1.

Stan Ternent made a tactical substitution at the interval, replacing Graham Branch with Ian Cox with Gnohere switching from the middle to leftback.

Burnley predictably showed more signs of attacking intent in the early stages of the restart.

Gnohere headed over Briscoe's corner then Kuipers kept out Ian Moore's angled shot, Burnley's first on target, with his legs after Blake fed the Clarets' striker eight yards out.

Burnley were reduced to ten men in the 50th minute, courtesy of a crazy reaction by Gnohere.

The Frenchman was involved in a niggling incident with Hart and inexplicably head butted Albion's right winger on the touchline right in front of the main stand.

Hart was not badly hurt, but referee Bates had no option other than to brandish a red card, despite howls of derision from home fans.

As Gnohere trudged off towards the dressing rooms Burnley introduced Weller at the expense of Blake and play somewhat curiously re-started with a free-kick for the home side.

Hart was inevitably now being booed every time he was in possession.

Burnley brought on Papadopoulos for Moore on the hour and the substitute soon made an impact as Burnley almost equalised.

Little exchanged passes with him before sliding the ball across the face of goal from a tight angle, but West could only find the side netting.

Albion doubled their advantage on 65 minutes with a scintillating break by Brooker.

Burnley were caught out at the back as the former Fulham winger advanced unchallenged down the left, cut in towards goal and calmly beat Michopoulos with his right foot from an acute angle.

Zamora put the issue beyond doubt for the Seagulls on 68 minutes, picking up the pieces when Rogers' attempted diving header from a Watson cross distracted Michopoulos.

Albion sensibly brought on Wilkinson for the underfire Hart as soon as they went 3-0 up.

Carpenter and Watson were cautioned in the space of a minute for fouls on Cox and Papadopoulos respectively, but nothing could detract from a marvellous day for the Seagulls.

Burnley pulled a goal back three minutes into injury time, Briscoe tapping in when Taylor headed back a corner from West but it Was Albion's day.