Zian Flemming's stunning first-half free-kick boosted Burnley's bid for a quick return to the Premier League as Scott Parker's side maintained their unbeaten home record in a 1-0 win over play-off hopefuls Bristol City.
Victory stretched Burnley's unbeaten run to 26 Championship games, dating back to a loss at Millwall at the start of November.
And it took the Clarets level on points with second-placed Leeds, who were held by Swansea, with leaders Sheffield United two points ahead.
Their 16th-minute opening goal had Premier League class written all over it, Jason Knight having conceded a free-kick for a foul on Marcus Edwards.
Flemming stood over the ball purposefully, 22 yards from goal, before striking an unstoppable right-footed finish into the top left-hand corner of the City goal.
But an all-important second goal proved elusive as the half wore on.
Edwards played a superb pass to Jaidon Anthony, but the winger produced a poor first touch and scuffed a shot straight at Max O'Leary.
Flemming then turned provider with a superb right-wing cross that Anthony met powerfully but headed wide with the goal beckoning.
Rampaging right-back Connor Roberts tried to get in on the act, delivering a thumping shot that drifted just wide of the target.
Bristol City boss Liam Manning saw his side reduced to a hopeful shot from the edge of the area from Anis Mehmeti which passed well wide.
But he could be grateful that his side reached the interval just one goal down and still hopeful of matching their last away performance when they snatched a last-gasp equaliser at Sheffield United.
Having not conceded more than one goal in any single game this season, Burnley knew that scoring a second would almost certainly be a killer blow.
And it might have arrived after 52 minutes when Flemming read Mark Sykes' under-hit header back to his goalkeeper.
O'Leary scrambled the ball away, under pressure from the Burnley man, and full-back Lucas Pires followed up with a lob just over the City goal.
The hosts, with Edwards increasingly dangerous, maintained the pressure, with the winger involved in carving out chances for Josh Brownhill and Anthony which were blocked in quick succession.
Anthony really should have done better after 66 minutes when Brownhill set up another chance for him which was again blocked, this time by Rob Dickie.
And the lively Edwards then created a shooting chance from the edge of the area which almost caught O'Leary off guard, with the keeper needing two attempts to save.
The managers
Burnley's Scott Parker:
"I've never known a race like it, the two promotions I've had were a little bit different. There are three teams, toe to toe, jabbing away at this moment and all three are looking for the knock-out punch.
"We have got seven games to produce the right hand that can see us over the line. We've got seven games left and we just need to focus on winning games. We go and win seven games, we'll be fine.
"I expect there to be many more twists and turns left in this league, but I don't really care what the other two teams are doing.
"Maybe people don't believe me, but honestly I'm not jumping on a roller coaster of what other teams are doing.
"It's just solely us, otherwise if we focus on that roller coaster, your emotions go up and down by every Saturday, every Wednesday when other teams play.
"It's a big day, but only because we've won another game."
Bristol City's Liam Manning:
"I was frustrated to lose, but you want to find out your level. It's around quality, speed of the ball, decision-making and that's probably the bit we're a little bit sloppy at, compared to what our standards have been recently, so that's really where the frustration comes from.
"It depends on how the next seven go, we need a bit of luck. When you look at it, we've got a top group of lads that are going to give absolutely everything.
"I think we have big areas to improve. We're quite clear we're building on something, so I think there's so much room for growth still in the group.
"We're in a positive spot. There's a good atmosphere, a good energy about the place and we have to keep that and bounce into next week, ready to go again."
