Burnley suffered last-day heartbreak as Gareth Taylor's second-half strike proved insufficient to keep them in the play-off places.

Stan Ternent's men had to equal or better Norwich's result against Stockport but the Canaries' 2-0 victory leapfrogged them into sixth position and the last precious play-off spot.

News of their rivals' fortunes were being relayed by thousands of radios around Turf Moor but despite a valiant effort the home side just came upjust short, missing out on a top-six place by just one goal's difference.

Hope had been raised when, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute, Taylor rose to put the Clarets one-up and with Norwich just 1-0 ahead at the time, that would have been enough.

But those hopes were soon dashed and, with Birmingham also winning, the home fans were left to ponder just how three goals had been conceded at Grimsby last week, and how their side had dropped 15 points in their last seven league games.

Boss Stan Ternent had named just one change from the side humbled at Grimsby last week, with Paul Weller replacing Tony Grant.

Coventry were under caretaker managers Steve Ogrizovic and Trevor Peake for the first time and they used the season's final day to throw in some young blood, handing a debut to 20-year-old Craig Pead and a rare start for Robert Betts among five changes made.

The hosts were certainly grateful for Weller's presence in the 12th minute, the 27-year-old clearing Colin Healy's header off the line to safety.

News of Andy Dibble's sending-off at Norwich seemed to spread quickly through the crowd, further intensifying the nerves on the terraces.

Burnley's best chance of the opening stages came in the 16th minute when Lee Briscoe was just unable to get on the end of an excellent right-hand cross.

The home side were slowly beginning to get a grip on the game and for thefirst time in the game Magnus Hedman's goal was being regularly threatened.

The source of most promise was Glen Little down the right flank but in the 27th minute it was Dean West whose pin-point centre was just plucked off the head of David Johnson by Hedman.

In the 34th minute Weller was put clean through but his shot was easily parried by Hedman.

A minute later and Little's corner almost allowed Arthur Gnohere a simple chance but the ball just escaped the defender's reach.

Ian Moore's clever through ball after 40 minutes should have seen Johnson grabbing his sixth goal in eight games since joining the club on loan from Notts Forest, but the Jamaican's first touch was awful allowing Hedman an easy pick-up.

Johnson's trials continued 10 minutes after the break when, with Ian Moore clear in space ahead, he hopelessly over-hit his pass and a chance again went begging.

Coventry, meanwhile, were beginning to look more of a threat in front ofgoal and Gary McSheffrey should have done better when in on goal.

With Norwich and Birmingham known to be ahead in their matches against Stockport and Sheffield United respectively, the hosts knew they had toproduce a goal from somewhere to at least stand a chance.

Ternent knew a change was needed and in the 65th minute Gareth Taylor replaced Mitchell Thomas.

And, amazingly, two minutes later the substitute had broken the deadlock, heading in Dean West's right-hand cross to put Burnley one-up.

But any optimism generated was soon deflated with Norwich grabbing a second, meaning the Clarets had to get another.

Paul Gascoigne came on for what could prove to be his last game in English football as Ternent made one last throw of the dice, and he almost created a fairytale finish with two stoppage time free-kicks that almost breached Hedman's goal.

But it was not to be, and Burnley, top of the table at the start of theyear, miss out.

Teams

Burnley Michopoulos, West (Payton 79), Davis, Gnohere, Thomas (Taylor 66), Weller, Ball, Little, Briscoe, Ian Moore (Gascoigne 82), Johnson.

Subs Not Used: Armstrong, Cook.

Goals: Taylor 68.

Coventry Hedman, Betts, Konjic, Shaw, Edworthy, Chippo, Eustace (Trollope 50), Pead (Hughes 82), Healy, McSheffrey, Mills.

Subs Not Used: Quinn, Hydlgaard, Davenport.

Booked: Konjic, Mills, Healy.

Att: 18,751

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).