BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent has slammed his players for giving fans a rough ride.

Supporters will once again turn up in their thousands for tomorrow's home game with Stoke (3pm), despite a defeat at Crewe that brought about a third successive defeat to leave the Clarets dangerously close to the First Division relegation zone.

A late Robbie Blake penalty was the only cheer on an otherwise dismal Boxing day compounded by two more defensive mistakes that have become the hallmark of the season.

And Ternent reckons the fans are getting a raw deal at present as "shambolic" defending continues to cost the Clarets dear.

Ternent said: "The fans deserve better than they are getting at the moment - there's no two ways about that.

"I've told the players that as well because there has to come a time, when people are going out and working hard for their money to travel all over and support us, where we give them more than we are giving them.

"Attacking wise, it's fine. But defensively it's just shambolic."

Ternent vowed to hammer his troops on the training ground to iron out the individual mistakes that are causing a crisis of confidence.

But the more immediate task is to end the current slump and provide some new year cheer when the Potters roll up at Turf Moor tomorrow.

Defender David May faces a race against time to replace the injured Arthur Gnohere after missing the Boxing Day defeat through illness.

Ternent added: "I hope David will be okay for the Stoke game, but I don't know yet because the game is so close.

"But the one thing the game does is give us the chance to put things right.

"The problems we have can only be sorted on the training ground, but it has to be taken out onto the pitch too. Confidence plays a major part in football and when you are winning matches and the confidence is high, you do things without thinking about them.

"When it's the other way it affects you, but we will put it right and come back. We will sort it out!"