Dan Black's verdict as the 'old' and the 'new' continue to come together to aid Burnley's growth under Vincent Kompany

While a handful of players re-accustom themselves to the demands of the Championship, and others continue to acclimate, the fusion of experienced pros and talented prospects has been a key feature in the rebuild.

It's a formula that has enabled the Clarets to be expressive and exciting on the ball, and has allowed them to take control of games, without leaving the side too vulnerable or exposed against seasoned opposition.

Ian Maatsen — who is somewhat of a hybrid given he's a 20-year-old with previous experience of the division — and Manuel Benson combined to get the ball rolling against Bristol City.

And it was left to the elder statesmen, leading scorer Jay Rodriguez and Johann Berg Gudmundsson, to remove the Robins from their perch after Nahki Wells had brought the visitors level against his former club.

Kompany, in his post match press conference, told the Burnley Express: "We probably needed that more than anything [a balance between young and experience].

"There was one moment where we had the chance to put a little bit more balance into it, with all the players leaving as we did, and we had choices we had to make on the new players coming in.

"We went for players that can give us something now and we also went for players that can do it now and more in the future. It's exciting, even to coach.

"The players are delivering what we're expecting them to do. We talk about how much progression we can still make and I think these guys are just going to get more and more confidence and take more chances as they come."

There are still some naiveties to iron out, which has to be expected given the overhaul of personnel in the summer. There is still a fragility when defending set-pieces — as seen in Lancashire derby stalemates against Blackpool and Preston — and they've lacked the knuckle to kill teams off.

Had Nathan Tella made it 2-0 at Turf Moor, when Maatsen's delivery left the Southampton forward with a tap-in, then Burnley might well have gone on to add to their advantage with City forced to open up.

Instead, Nigel Pearson's men were able to force a quite fortuitous equaliser, having preyed on the home side's frailties, and recoiled into a more compact shape, happily protecting their point and countering when the opportunity arose.

Those are the defining moments that alter the complexion of games. When teams level, against the run of play, having fallen behind away from home, they'll naturally transition into defensive mode — as we've witnessed so many times this term — and challenge Burnley to try and break them down.

Thankfully, on this occasion, they did. "I am happy," continued Kompany. "It was a good performance and a good win. I have seen a lot of Bristol and this was a tricky game so we get to go into the international break with exactly what we wanted.

"We are extremely fortunate to have Jay Rod in this team, one is the obvious quality but he is a local lad who bleeds for this club and we know if we keep him fit and happy he will be a big player and he showed exactly that."

Former Belgium Under 21 international Benson was a revelation on Saturday afternoon, with penetrative runs on the outside, and expeditions infield, stretching City while opening up space for the hosts in the final third.

After almost teeing up Tella, when showing his marker a clean set of heels, the ex-Royal Antwerp winger opened his account with a rasping drive from the edge of the box, which crashed in off the inside of the post.

"For Benny [Manuel Benson] to get himself on the scoresheet is good, there are more goals in him this season as well," Kompany claimed. The 25-year-old's incisive drive in-between Matty James and Rob Atkinson also engineered the opening for Tella's glaring miss, with Rodriguez also involved in the build-up.

That could have been 'game over', but the Clarets conceded their lead to yet another corner just minutes later. Arijanet Muric might have done more to impose himself on Jay DaSilva's delivery, before Wells swept home from close range, but the ex-Manchester City stopper had a big hand in keeping Burnley level at the break.

The Kosovan keeper denied Atkinson at his near post before making himself big to keep out Tommy Conway when City's leading scorer had looked favourite to convert Wells' ball across.

He then turned Wells' looping header over the crossbar early in the second half, before a trademark finish from the Clarets' hometown hero restored their lead. Gudmundsson supplied the cross, having replaced Benson, and Rodriguez flicked the ball past Dan Bentley and into the far corner. It was his fifth goal in seven starts.

The home side created more chances with Bentley spilling Josh Brownhill's attempt, Rodriguez fired across goal and substitute Anass Zaroury was kept out at the near post, having stolen a yard from Zak Vyner, but they also demonstrated that they possess a strong jaw when needed.

The ever-impressive Taylor Harwood-Bellis, called up to the Young Lions squad this week, cleared Joe Williams' daisy-cutter off the line and then got a vital nick on the ball at full stretch when Antoine Semenyo seemed destined to convert Andreas Weimann's cross.

As a result, the Clarets enter the international break in fourth spot after accruing 17 points from 10 games. Kompany said: "There is a lot of progression that can still be made, we are not perfect, but it is a team that is at least giving hope and hope is important."