No place like home

When they line-up against Barnsley at Turf Moor on Saturday it will be almost a month since their last home game.

But despite losing three away games on the bounce, and taking one point from 12, the electric start to theseason has meant that only Wolves have managed to overtake the Clarets.

That did not stop one weekend report referring to them as "once high-flying Burnley" - surely remaining in second place entitles them to still be considered highfliers.

That said there is no doubt that the club's soaring start to the season has been slowed because their wings have been clipped.

The fans know it, the manager knows it and at times the players look as if they know it.

When Glen Little was flying down the right with Alan Moore doing the same down the left the goals could not have come much faster.

But at the City Ground on Saturday that cutting edge was again sadly missing. Not only do the two players provide natural width, they also offer the strongest link with the front pairing of Gareth Taylor and Ian Moore who, as against West Brom, were too often so isolated they might have wondered if their team mates were trying to tell them about a personal hygiene problem.

"We have got a few key players missing but when they are back we will be a match for anyone in this division," said Ternent. He did not have to name them, it was glaringly obvious who he was talking about.

There was extra disappointment for Ternent in the manner of the goal that gave Forest all three points. If there is one thing managers hate it is conceding goals from set-pieces. It is even worse if the set-piece is your own.

"I thought their goal came at a time when we were in the ascendancy," said Ternent and he was right. The momentum was with the Clarets and they looked to threaten from a right wing corner. Seconds later they were one down.

A clearing header allowed David Johnson to get past Paul Weller on the edge of the Forest box, he flew down the left with support coming alongside him. The ball found its way to skipper Chris Bart-Williams on the other side of the Burnley area and his shot took a wicked deflection that left Nik Michopoulos stranded.

In a game of few clear chances it was always likely to be enough for a fifth straight home win.

Saturday's match fell somewhere between the last two away trips. At Norwich, where Moore and Little both got injured, the Clarets created plenty of chances in a 2-1 defeat. A week later they did not force West Brom's keeper Russell Hoult to make a single save.

Darren Ward in the Forest goal did not have the same armchair ride but a sharp save from Taylor and a comfortable take from Tony Grant did not constitute a tough day at the office.

Ternent felt his side created a number of chances and they certainly ended the match with a good deal of pressure but Taylor, Moore and attacking subs Dimitri Papadopoulos and Andy Payton never got a clear sight of goal.

An ankle injury to defender Arthur Gnohere meant Ternent had to play two different formations, starting with 3-5-2 but reverting to 4-4-2 when midfielder Grant replaced the young Frenchman.

It was a debut for the former Everton and Manchester City player who wasted little time in giving the travelling fans a glimpse of what he can do. Grant admits: "I love having the ball, I'd have it all day if I could," and he was always willing to move into space to collect from the back or from his midfield partners.

And once he was in possession he seemed determined not to waste it. If that meant a simple ball to a colleague in space so be it. He never surrendered it cheaply and once he has moved on to the same wavelength as his new team mates you can imagine his passes will become more destructive and constructive.

Playing with new faces 48 hours after first training with them is always a tricky exercise but his confidence on the ball was obvious to see. The ball is his friend and he wants to go out to play.

"It was a first look at Tony for the fans and I thought he did very well," said Ternent. "He moved the ball well."

Burnley had started the match brightly but their progress appeared to be slowed after two early bookings. They may have struggled for league points on their travels but they have collected plenty of penalty points.

The home fans wanted to see keeper Michopoulos sent off in the sixth minute when he was adjudged to have brought down David Johnson on the edge of the box. But as the assistant referee who was closer to the incident did not even give a foul anything more than a yellow card would have been harsh.

Seconds later Paul Cook also saw yellow and by the end they had been joined in the book by Kevin Ball and Weller.

Earlier in the season goals came with the regularity of cards and once they are back on home soil Ternent will hope that is the case again.

And if it is "Home Sweet Home" then the label of highfliers might stick with the Clarets for some time yet.

RESULT: FOREST...1

Bart-Williams 79

BURNLEY...0

Attendance...24,016