WITH a game of cricket battling against the frequent flurries of rain on one side of the stadium and the rolling green Lancashire hills – peppered with rows of terraced houses and proud, tall stone chimneys – in view behind another stand, Turf Moor has to be one of the more picturesque venues in the Championship.

But the ground itself, a combination of the old and the antique – with the away fans housed in a stand full of rickety wooden seats that was once condemned – is still not a happy hunting ground for Nottingham Forest.

Despite another defeat, however, this could still prove to be another turning point for Billy Davies' side.

Back in April 2009, a 5-0 hammering that could have been twice as bad provided the painful inspiration for a revival in form that saw Forest climb away from relegation trouble.

And, while the manner of this most recent loss may have been very different – bordering on the unjust, in fact – it could again provide the motivation required for Forest to progress on to better things.

You have to go all the way back to January for Forest's last away victory, when they clinically, ruthlessly took apart a West Brom side that were bound for the Premier League to register a 3-1 success.

That was their 13th match unbeaten away from home – but they have now gone 13 since without a win.

But, while such a run might suggest a side short on confidence, there could have been little argument had they dispatched a side newly relegated from the top-flight by a similar scoreline.

The display, in fact, was enough even to entice an enthusiastic response from Billy Davies, the Forest manager, whose own mood recently had been darkly tempered by the lack of progress in the transfer market.

The Scot was full of smiles and optimism as he reflected on the events of an afternoon that had seen a nervous looking Burnley side somehow escape with three points, despite often looking to be on the verge of outright panic as Forest pressed.

A Chris Iwelumo header, in first half injury time, saw Forest's defence guilty of a rare moment of hesitancy, as the lumbering striker stooped to power beyond Lee Camp at close range.

But, if not for some glaring profligacy at the other end of the pitch, this was still a match Forest would comfortably have won.

Nathan Tyson, clutching his head in his hands in complete despair, was the most guilty, as he fired wildly over after being put through on goal by the hungry looking Robert Earnshaw in the second half.

While the Welsh international had already suffered some frustration of his own after a darting probe into the box was followed by a crisp, driven half-volley that bounced agonisingly away off the foot of the post.

Playing in a slightly withdrawn, deeper role off industrious target man Dexter Blackstock, Earnshaw always looked to be a threat, both in a predatory and creative sense.

But his enthusiasm and appetite were reflected in the rest of the side, particularly in the second half after full-backs Chris Gunter and Ryan Bertrand had heeded Davies' half-time appeals to be more attack minded.

Both men played integral roles during a second half that, while a significant improvement on a nervous first period, also saw Forest take an ever firmer grasp on proceedings.

If there was one criticism, it was that Forest's growing dominance in terms of possession was not reflected in the number of chances they created.

Blackstock rose majestically to power a fine headed opportunity narrowly over, at a stage when the score could easily have been 3-1 to Forest.

But, otherwise, it was Camp who was the busier of the two keepers, as Burnley threatened more when they struck on the counter attack.

While Burnley stopper Brian Jenson, who had kept his place ahead of new signing Lee Grant, was largely redundant when it came to shot stopping, Camp's reactions were tested to the full, firstly to claw away a looping header from Iwelumo and then to make a double save to deny substitutes Steven Thompson and Jay Rodriguez in the final moments.

A hotch-potch of a pitch that had been relayed down the centre with high-tech, partly artificial grass, but with normal grass – that had a tendency to cut up like the controversial Wembley surface – did not help as several Forest players picked up ankle injuries, with Nathan Tyson and Paul McKenna both falling awkwardly.

And, with five players away on international duty tomorrow, the squad at Bradford City for the Carling Cup is likely to have a youthful look.

But, overall, there were still more positives than negatives to be taken from another ultimately disappointing afternoon in Burnley.

If they can perform to a similar level in the future, then their long wait for an away win will not be extended for much longer. Probably not beyond the trip to Reading, later in the month, even.

And, by that stage, even the lack of strength in depth could have been addressed.

Forest have played a patient game with their pursuit of Cardiff's Peter Whittingham and Darren Pratley, the Swansea midfielder.

With both players seemingly having rejected the offer of contract extensions from their clubs, their fortitude may yet pay off, with both Welsh sides left to decide whether to accept Forest's offers or risk losing the players for nothing in the summer.

If they can be signed and Forest can continue to produce a similar standard of football, then Davies will definitely struggle to wipe the smile of his face.