STAN Ternent had hoped that his players would hit the ground running against Brighton on Saturday - but they fell flat on their faces!
The furious manager, normally so supportive of his players, ripped into them big style after the game and it is safe to assume the paint was peeling off the dressing room wall at 5pm.
The first division new-boys could probably not believe their luck as they flew home on Saturday night and someone had better warn them they are unlikely to have it any easier than that.
The defeat did little to lift the gloom that has been hanging over Turf Moor in the wake of the ITV Digital fiasco but this defeat had nothing to do with that crisis.
This was all about potentially good players playing badly. Ternent's starting line-up featured the nucleus of the side that finished seventh last season. He was not looking for excuses because there were none.
Ternent accused Robbie Blake of playing as if he had divers' boots on but no player will be happy with their start to the season.
The incident that finally sunk any hopes of a home win came five minutes after the break, just when the Clarets were enjoying their best spell.
The fans in the James Hargreaves stand, closest to the incident that led to Arthur Gnohere's dismissal, split their anger between Albion's Gary Hart and referee Tony Bates.
They were convinced that the French defender had not made contact with his head and certainly Hart was up there in Oscar territory for his collapse and roll on the ground.
But no one who has been watching football for any length of time will have been surprised by his reaction and the problem was Gnohere gave him the opportunity to get him sent off.
He has denied making any contact but he did make the move towards him that would be enough for any official to send him for an early bath. Gnohere was distraught and sat forlornly on the grass before being led to the dressing rooms.
Minutes earlier Michel Kuipers in the Brighton goal had saved well with his legs from Ian Moore as Burnley began the second half at several times the tempo that saw them trailing at the interval.
The Seagulls' rookie boss Martin Hinshelwood was aware that the sending off was crucial and admitted: "We were under the cosh at the start of the second half but we put bodies in front of the ball.
"I felt the official on the other side could have flagged for a foul to us and then it got a little bit silly. It was handbags and I was disappointed for their player as well."
Ternent spent yesterday examining the incident having said: "Having a man sent off when you are a goal down doesn't help.
"We were doing alright at the start of the second half and Ian Moore had a chance that saw their keeper make a good save."
It was a rare moment of concern for Kuipers although even when down to ten men the Clarets created a couple of chances before they slipped further behind.
Gareth Taylor nearly converted a Nik Michopoulos clearance and Glen Little pulled a left foot shot after a lovely dinked pass from sub Paul Weller.
But two defensive mistakes in the space of three minutes ended the match as a contest. In the 65th minute Taylor was tackled by Paul Rogers, the ball broke to Paul Brooker and he simply galloped towards goal with Steve Davis in his slipstream before beating Michopoulos from a very tight angle.
The Greek stopper then dropped a ball in from Paul Watson and Bobby Zamora gleefully netted what is likely to be the first of many goals this season.
He did look unlucky to have had an early header chalked off for offside having got on the end of a Watson free kick but he did supply the pass that had allowed Steve Melton to run unchallenged through the heart of the defence.
It was no more than Brighton deserved as their lively and varied attack made Burnley's first half forays look depressingly one dimensional.
Taylor is impressive in the air and it is a valid weapon to use but there has to be more craft and guile. The squad may be limited in numbers but there are plenty of creative players that can be used.
The chief problem was the failure to cope with the loss of the suspended Alan Moore. His place on the left was filled at times by Ian Moore, Blake and Little but never with any confidence or success. Left back Graham Branch was needed to support his colleagues but he struggled to get involved in the game.
That resulted in a switch at half time with Ian Cox moving alongside Davis and Gnohere going to left back but within five minutes Ternent had to shuffle again.
His lack of options were obvious as he flung on Weller who had not played any pre-season game but his presence is going to be needed in midfield sooner rather than later.
At least Dimitri Papadopoulos injected a bit of life into the home side but Brighton's defence was solid with the manager's 17-year-old nephew Adam Hinshelwood impressing on his debut.
"I am not afraid to play kids," said his uncle and that was the loud message from the Burnley boss as he berated his own men.
Throughout the summer motorists visiting the coast will have had their cars covered with little "messages" from the Seagulls overhead.
On Saturday night, Ternent knew how they felt.
BURNLEY... 1
Briscoe 90
BRIGHTON... 3
Melton 28, Brooker 65, Zamora 68
Attendance: 14,735 at Turf Moor
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