KNIGHTMARE!

And he has called for ex-players to be used to referee games in order to improve standards .

"Referees are like God, they are not always right but they are never wrong," he seethed. "We can't question them or appeal against them.

"When you work as hard as I do and my players do, you play for 42 matches and get an incompetent performance like that, there is not a lot you can do.

"We have got amateur people running a professional sport. If you are to be an umpire in the County Championship you have to have played at that level.

"It happens at every game across the country, we end up talking about the officials, not the match."

Ternent's anger centred on three key decisions that went against his players.

Strike One: Gareth Taylor's legitimate looking goal was ruled out for an alleged foul on Wolves keeper Michael Oakes.

Strike Two: Seconds later Dean Sturridge was offside twice in the move that led to the opening goal.

Strike Three: Alan Moore was given a straight red card after an apparently accidental clash with Gunnar Halle just before the hour.

"I have watched the video and it was a perfectly good goal by Gareth," he fumed. "I just can't see what was wrong and I don't know who disallowed it but given his day it was probably the ref."

And Ternent was livid about the dismissal of Moore who will now miss the last two games of the season as well as the first leg of the play-offs if Burnley can cling on to a top six spot.

"It was not even worth a booking, it was an honest challenge for the ball and the decision was beyond human comprehension," he said. "He challenged for the ball and this was a match between two sides at the top of the division. There was no quarter asked and none given.

"The worst tackle of the day was their left back on Dean West and then of course the ref was right on the ball."

Ternent made key changes at half time with Glen Little and Ian Moore coming on for Taylor and the disappointing Paul Gascoigne and Ternent explained: "I thought it would benefit the team and that is what happened.

"But you can't have to score four goals to win at home or three to get a point. There first two goals were very sloppy defending."

The results on Saturday left the Clarets top six spot looking increasingly precarious with just three points separating them in fourth and Norwich City in ninth before this afternoon's games.

The Clarets left for Portsmouth straight after the game on Saturday with Ternent setting a target of two wins from their last four games.

"We have to get our own points and not worry about anyone else," he said. "I think if we can get 72 points, our total last season, that would be enough but two wins would be nice.

"Then we would be in the play-offs with a second chance of going up. The club is making progress."

That progress was evident in the second half, if not the first. Even with Moore sent off the Clarets took the fight to Wolves and it is that fight they need for the rest of the season, starting today.