BEMUSED Burnley boss Stan Ternent had no explanation for his side's woeful start to their top of the table clash at Molineux yesterday.

But having acknowledged the massive negative that saw his side three down to Wolves at the break he chose to accentuate the positive by focusing on a more spirited second half display.

"We didn't give ourselves a chance in the first half," he moaned. "We were well and truly beaten and why I am not quite sure.

"It was a big game for us and we just didn't perform.

"I am not a mind reader and sometimes when you win games six or seven players are on top form. Sometimes when you lose you have players who are not playing to their full capabilities.

"In the first half none of my players were above average by their own standards.

"In the second half we played a lot better. We passed the ball better and our ball retention was better.

"You have got to try and take something positive from the match and I thought we were pretty good in the second half and we could have scored two or three goals.

"Things seemed to pick up after we changed the shape of our side."

The switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 and the introduction of subs Glen Little and Dean West certainly pepped up the Clarets but by then the damage was done with two of the wounds self inflicted, albeit unluckily. Gareth Taylor and Paul Cook both headed past their own keeper although there was little either man could have done about the goals. Having seen Wolves return to the top of the table thanks to the comfortable win Ternent remained upbeat as he looked ahead to tomorrow's match at Gillingham and beyond.

"We were poor by our standards but we will be there or thereabouts," he said. "We are better than that first half showing. We have now got another tough match at Gillingham but they are all tough matches. "

Burnley remain in fourth place despite a run of four successive defeat on the road but they are now five points behind Wolves and four behind both Crystal Palace and Coventry who also won at the weekend.

But Ternent remains convinced that the top of the table will remain tight and his side will be in the shake-up next April.

"I don't think anyone is going to run away with it and we are still up there," he said. "I expect us to be up there at the end of the season.

"We just have to take this defeat and go on to the next game. We are still doing okay."

And Wolves boss Dave Jones had words of encouragement for the Clarets as he acknowledged they showed the typical fighting spirit of a Stan Ternent side in the second half having already virtually lost the game.

With two games in the space of three days, the Clarets headed south from Wolves yesterday to prepare for the match at the Priestfield tomorrow night and Ternent will be checking on the fitness of a number of key players.

Ian Cox and Paul Cook both came off with "slight strains" while Ternent will be hoping that Little will show no reaction to his extended outing, playing more than hour despite not being fully fit.

The manager will also have to work out which formation to play against the Gills as the 3-5-2 that was so effective against Palace contributed to the shocking first half display.