ADE Akinbiyi has apologised for the moment of madness that blighted the start of his Burnley career.

The striker has spoken for the first time since his disastrous substitute appearance against Sunderland earlier this month, when he was sent off less than three minutes after coming on for his debut.

His violent challenge on George McCartney was screened live on television but the striker has now revealed his determination to put things right.

"I can only apologise for it", Akinbiyi told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. "It was a heat of the moment thing at the wrong time in the wrong place.

"As soon as I did it I couldn't believe what I'd done but it's done now and I've just got to get on with it."

Akinbiyi felt personally responsible for Burnley's 2-0 defeat, as they were only one goal down and pushing for an equaliser before being reduced to 10 men.

But he went some way towards making up for it on Saturday when he returned from a three-match ban and opened his goal account on his first start for the Clarets at Sheffield United.

It was no more than a consolation as Burnley fell to a 2-1 defeat but it gave Akinbiyi the perfect morale boost as he faces another two weeks without a game.

Burnley don't play again until Watford come to Turf Moor a week on Saturday and, coupled with his suspension and the fact that he hadn't played since January before signing from Stoke City, it's been one of the most frustrating periods of the 30-year-old's career.

But he added: "I'll use this break to do some more work."