ANDY Gray's penalty gives Burnley the perfect start to the season.

He dispatched a spot kick 12 minutes from time, after Ade Akinbiyi's drag back was handled by Neil Clement.

The win was nothing more than the Clarets deserved, after dominating the second half.

And it completed the turnaround, after Michael Duff had equalised just after the restart.

On that occasion, Robbie Blake's corner from the right was met by Duff at the far post who bulleted a header into the top corner.

That was the first real chance of the half, but just before the hour, Gray went clean through only to be denied by Baggies keeper Dean Kiely.

The Clarets had trailed at the break to a swift counter-attacking goal from Kevin Phillips.

Another Blake corner was cut out by Carl Hoefkens, and a swift attack involving Zoltan Gera ended with Phillips hitting a low drive past Gabor Kiraly.

That goal came on 18 minutes, but prior to that, it had been all Burnley.

Chris McCann should have scored when he headed a clear opening over, from Blake's corner.

But at the other end, Leon Barnett's goalbound header from a free kick hit Wayne Thomas and was cleared.

Skipper Steven Caldwell limped off with what looked to be an ankle knock, replaced by Lafferty, with Jon Harley moving to left back and Stephen Jordan to centre half.

Kiraly and Jordan both made their debuts for the club, while Blake made his second debut after returning from Leeds.

Fellow new signing Besart Berisha was omitted from the squad.