GRAHAM Branch has warned that more Jekyll and Hyde displays like Saturday's 5-3 defeat to Norwich will see Burnley relegated.

Branch suffered along with the entire defence as Stan Ternent's side fell apart against the league leaders, despite leading at the break following a first half goal-fest.

And the Clarets captain knows there can be no repeat of that sorry second half display in the remaining seven league games that will determine Burnley's First Division fate.

Branch said: "We played well in the first half, but the second half was so sloppy and that's the reason we lost.

"The gaffer went ballistic after the game, which is understandable because to play as differently as we did in the two halves is just not right.

"We weren't comfortable in the first half, but we were playing well against the top team.

"The second half, we were all over the place and individual mistakes seem to be killing us again.

"Once we went down in the game, our heads went down and it was hard to get it back.

"Now we have to be mentally strong because we have some tough games coming up.

"Other than this game, we've been very good at home and if we can carry that forward until the end of the season, then we'll be okay.

"But we have to make sure our first and second halves don't differ as they did here."

Three times Burnley surrendered the lead before league leaders Norwich punished slack defending to romp home after the break.

And Clarets boss Stan Ternent was at a loss to explain the dramatic second half collapse.

He said: "The first half was fantastic and we played really well. The second half - rubbish!

"We scored some good goals, but that second half was just unacceptable and we only have ourselves to blame for losing the match.

"When you score three goals at home you would always expect to get something out of it, but not this year, I'm afraid."

Ternent, who suffered a further blow when substitute striker Dele Adebola pulled out of Saturday's squad with a stomach injury sustained in the warm-up, added: "I have to grin and bear it.

"We still need to win three games out of seven - and we will, although we will have to do better defensively."