AT half-time of this tight, tense, tussle between two of the best sides in the Championship Andy Payton, a prolific goalscorer for Burnley and Hull, was introduced to the crowd to applause from all four sides of Turf Moor.

In this part of the world he’s affectionately known as the ‘Padiham Predator’ in honour of his instincts in front of goal.

And the original predator would have been smiling 13 minutes from the end when Sam Vokes showed his own poaching instincts, as well as a remarkably calm head, to score the only goal of the game from the edge of the six-yard box.

What looked like a tap-in was actually a much tougher finish for the Wales international, but he took it with aplomb.

Both managers expected this to be a tight affair. There is little to separate the Championship’s top six this season.

Although Sean Dyche is always keen to stress how these games are just another potential three points on the road to greater glory, the significance within them is much bigger.

Dyche said the ‘fine margins’ had gone against the Clarets when they lost 3-0 at Hull on Boxing Day, but they were in Burnley’s favour on Saturday.

And it’s not just fine margins on the pitch either. This victory closes the gap to the Championship’s top two to just one point.

It is worth revisiting that miserable Boxing Day. The defeat meant Burnley had won just once in eight games.

They came away from the KC Stadium eight points behind the automatic promotion slots and with just a two point cushion on seventh. Now they have closed right up on Hull and Boro, and they no longer need to look over their shoulders to seventh. Confidence is coursing through the club now.

The victory over a Hull side who were on a six match winning streak in all competitions made it seven unbeaten in the league for Burnley, but the bare figures don’t do that run justice.

Having faced criticism for failing to get results against the Championship’s top half before Christmas, this unbeaten run includes wins over Brentford, Derby and Hull and a point away at Sheffield Wednesday.

If the visit of the Championship’s table-toppers was always likely to be a tight encounter, then this victory followed the Dyche blueprint.

The manager hailed the resilience of his side afterwards and it was a perfect description.

They could, perhaps should, have led at the break, Burnley then weathered a fightback from the visitors, before sealing victory by punishing an opposition error.

At the back Ben Mee and Michael Keane defended strongly. Mee might only come in at under six foot but he played like a giant at times here, winning headers against bigger men in Abel Hernandez and Mo Diame and making crucial tackles, although his distribution let him down.

In midfield Joey Barton and David Jones competed for the man of the match award, constantly harrying the opposition and using the ball well when they had it, and while Vokes and Andre Gray weren’t inundated with opportunities, Vokes took the one that mattered.

Before that strike Burnley’s most likely route to goal had looked to be from corners, particularly in the first half.

Mee saw a header from one saved by McGregor, before Vokes glanced wide. Barton then thought he had scored when Jones and Matt Lowton worked a short corner. Jones stood the ball up and Barton charged in at the back post, but McGregor brilliantly tipped his header over.

Tom Heaton had been called into action only once in the first half, saving a Robert Snodgrass volley, but he was busier after the break as the league leaders looked to exert their authority in the game.

It was a crucial period as Heaton saved well from a Moses Odubajo drive and was quickly off his line to smother the ball from Hernandez, who had broken past Keane, before the Uruguayan striker, who came into the game with six goals in his last four appearances, sent a diving header over the bar from six yards.

Having coped with Hull’s second half revival the Clarets struck. Gray’s backheel freed Arfield down the left, and his cross was half cleared to Barton on the edge of the area.

The midfielder struck a bouncing half volley which McGregor was unable to hold, and Vokes turned the ball home.

It might have looked a simple finish at first glance, but the ball had almost gone past the Wales international, who had to swivel his body to be able to steer the ball into the net for his fourth goal in six games, having scored four in 25 for the Clarets this season previously.

And he was involved again moments later. Gray’s scuffed shot fell perfectly for Vokes, but McGregor was out quickly and as Burnley’s number nine poked the ball past him he went to ground.

But rather than a penalty Vokes was booked for diving, a harsh call as replays showed the Tigers goalkeeper had caught him.

Hull struggled to find a response in the closing stages and the Turf Moor rearguard held firm.

The final whistle was greeted with chants of ‘up the Football League we go’, and Burnley’s promotion challenge back on track. They’ve fired a warning to the rest of the Championship.