Ternent admits troubles

The Clarets slipped to 21st place after Stoke inflicted a fourth straight defeat thanks to Adi Akinbiyi's second half strike.

The Burnley boss vowed to battle on with a threadbare squad and no other resources at his disposal. But he remains confident of weathering the storm and steering a listing ship to calmer waters.

Ternent said: "It's been an absolute nightmare year for me. The side has been decimated, but that's another story for another day.

"This was the same old story though. I thought we were the better side, certainly in the first half, but we gave a poor goal away.

"Then you saw a side playing with no confidence and in need of a break.

"They keep shooting themselves in the foot with unforced errors and that's four on the bounce now. We just have to keep working hard and I have to use the players at my disposal and keep them at it and hope they get a break."

Ternent added: "We are near the bottom of the league now and we knew it wasn't going to be easy this season. That's how it has panned out, but there is still a long way to go and I'm confident we will maintain First Division status.

"We have to realise that we are in a precarious position and we have to be strong mentally and get on with it."

The year could have ended differently for Burnley if Ian Moore's second minute header had found the net instead of rattling Stoke's woodwork.

But Ternent remained philosophical, adding: "That's the way it is when things go against you. Football is funny in many respects in that you can be playing pretty well and not winning matches and then playing poorly and getting results.

"At the moment it's our turn to be having a bad spell, but confidence plays a big part in anything. When things are going your way and you are winning matches, maybe players have an extra touch. When it's going the other way, maybe they snatch at stuff.

"We have created chances against most sides, but we still give goals away too cheaply."