Burnley have Wolves to thank for unforgettable Preston North End victory: View | OneFootball

Chris Iwelumo's contribution in Burnley's 4-3 win over Preston North End in 2010 will never be forgotten.

Burnley will be hoping to challenge for promotion from the Championship this season.

The Clarets were relegated from the Premier League last season after just one year in the top flight, and they suffered a further blow when manager Vincent Kompany made a shock move to German giants Bayern Munich in May.

Scott Parker was appointed as Kompany's replacement in July, and it was a busy summer as the 43-year-old rebuilt his squad, with 12 new players arriving at Turf Moor.

There were also a number of departures, including Aro Muric, Vitinho, Dara O'Shea, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Sander Berge, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Anass Zaroury, Wilson Odobert and Wout Weghorst. But despite fears of a mass exodus in the closing stages of the window, Burnley managed to keep hold of the likes of James Trafford, Josh Brownhill, Lyle Foster and Luca Koleosho.

The Clarets have had an impressive record in the Championship over the last decade, winning promotion in each of their last three seasons in the division, but it has not always been the case, and the club spent four years in the second tier following their relegation from the Premier League in 2010.

The Clarets struggled to seriously challenge for a return to the top flight until the arrival of Sean Dyche in 2012. They did though, have some memorable moments along the way, most notably a dramatic 4-3 win over Lancashire rivals Preston North End in September 2010, and striker Chris Iwelumo's hat-trick in that victory will never be forgotten.

Burnley supporters will always remember Chris Iwelumo's Preston North End contribution

Iwelumo joined Burnley from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2010 following their relegation from the Premier League, and he enjoyed a strong start to his Clarets career, scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the opening day before netting again in the 3-0 win over Leicester City two weeks later.

Burnley sat fifth in the table coming into the game against Preston at Turf Moor in early September after picking up seven points from their first four games, while North End had lost three of their opening four matches.

It looked as though the game was going the way many would have expected when Iwelumo gave the Clarets the lead in the ninth minute, but the Lilywhites responded well, and goals from Adam Barton and Keith Treacy put the visitors ahead before half-time.

It looked as though Preston would be coming away with an impressive victory when Jon Parkin added a third in the 70th minute, but the game changed significantly after Billy Jones was shown a second yellow card for time wasting with 12 minutes remaining, and Iwelumo took centre stage.

Iwelumo pulled one back for Burnley in the 84th minute with an excellent volley, and he then equalised just four minutes later to complete his hat-trick.

However, that was not the end of the drama, and as the Clarets continued to pile on the pressure, Jay Rodriguez headed home the winner in the last minute of normal time to seal an incredible comeback victory.

It was the second time that Iwelumo had scored a hat-trick against Preston having previously done so in a 3-1 win for Wolves at Deepdale in September 2008, but he was sent off later in that game for headbutting Sean St Ledger, so this meeting against the Lilywhites certainly had a more positive ending for the former Scotland international.

Unfortunately for Iwelumo, he struggled to maintain his early season form, scoring just six more goals during the remainder of the campaign, and it was a similar story for the rest of his team-mates as they missed out on the play-offs, finishing eighth in the table.

After just one season in Lancashire, Iwelumo made the move to Watford in July 2011, and after spells with Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Scunthorpe United, St Johnstone and Chester, he announced his retirement from football in October 2014.

Iwelumo failed to deliver consistently during his brief spell at Turf Moor, but his hat-trick against Preston has ensured him a place in Clarets history, and that performance alone makes the transfer fee the club paid for him worth every penny.