CHRIS Burke plundered a crucial stoppage-time winner for Blues to catapult them back to the edge of the play-off picture.

Just when it appeared that they were to drop St Andrew’s points in carbon-copy manner to last weekend, Blues plugged away to the death and reaped the reward their overall performance merited.

David Murphy executed a give-and-go with Nathan Redmond to pierce the Burnley rearguard and burst into the penalty area before squaring for Burke to slam home in the first minute of stoppage time.

It was such a precious goal – Blues moved up to eighth in the Championship – especially as Chris Hughton side’s giveaway demons reappeared.

And this after Blues got such an ideal start, scoring after just one minute and 59 seconds.

It came from an incisive move that cut through the heart of Burnley’s defence.

Burke played a short pass into Nikola Zigic and he knocked a return to Burke in the area.

Marlon King cleverly let the ball run through his legs on the way forward and Burke was clear.

He tried to clip a shot over Lee Grant but the sprawling ‘keeper got his foot to it and the ball ricocheted up on to the crossbar.

It rebounded wide out on the left and it seemed as if the chance had gone begging – but no.

Jean Beausejour came on to it and smashed a perfectly-placed half-volley into the roof of the net.

It was a fine finish from a tight angle and it was just the sort of beginning to the game that Blues needed.

From thereafter in the first half the game took on the same kind of complexion as Saturday’s against Peterborough United.

Blues had all the play and possession and created decent openings but went in with just a slender lead at the break.

They should have been two goals to the good but, in the 35th minute, King was guilty of missing an absolute sitter.