STAN TERNENT blasted his Burnley players after another disappointing Turf Moor display last night.

Promotion rivals Birmingham City enjoyed a comfortable 1-0 win thanks to Tommy Mooney's first half goal and the Clarets boss confessed: "None of my players were better than mediocre.

"They have to show a little more bottle in my book. We were lacklustre and got what we deserved."

Results elsewhere meant that Burnley stayed fifth in the first division but it is looking increasingly likely that they will have to settle for a fight to make the play-offs.

To stay in the top six performances will have to improve and Ternent is confident they will although he was angry with his players who under-performed against the Blues.

"It might have been the occasion, the expectation of being up in the top part of the league and playing a match you have to win.

"We had a lot of the ball but their keeper didn't have to make a save.

"But I still say we will be there at the end of the season. I have trust in my players and I know they will bounce back.

"The end of the road is still 11 games away."

Of greatest concern is the failure to win at home for the fifth game in a row, a run dating back more than two months. The Clarets are at Turf Moor again at the weekend against another promotion chasing side, Norwich City.

Ternent will be demanding an improved display from his side that has now won more games away than at home.

"All the games are big ones now," he said, having seen his players blow their chance to dent the hopes of a rival.

And having called for support from the home fans on the back of an unbeaten run of five games he was frustrated that his side let them down.

"I am extremely disappointed that when I asked them to get behind the players the team didn't give them anything to shout about," he said.

The manager made an early change after seeing his side fall behind, Ian Moore replacing Paul Cook to join Gareth Taylor in attack, and he admitted: "We were not in the game and I needed to change things." Sadly it did not make any difference as Blues keeper Ian Bennett enjoyed a quiet evening.

The one bright spot for Ternent was the return of skipper Steve Davis to the first team.

"The skipper has done very well and his return is a step in the right direction," he said. "He is a very good player, the heart of the team. He has had half a game and that will stand him in good stead."

If Manchester City can beat Sheffield Wednesday at Maine Road tonight it will reinforce the view that they and Wolves, 3-0 winners over Walsall last night, will take the two automatic places with the rest of the top ten scrapping to make the play-offs.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has little doubt that despite last night's setback the Clarets can last the pace.

"They'll be there or thereabouts, that's for sure," he said.

"You know what to expect from Burnley and not many teams will come here and win. I have terrific admiration for Stan Ternent and he gets the best out of his players."

That has certainly been the case for much of this season but his players let him down last night. He, and the fans, will demand much better, starting against Norwich City on Saturday.