BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent was quick to apologise after tempers frayed at Hillsborough last night.

Ternent was at the centre of an incident when an irate Sheffield Wednesday fan attempted to confront Clarets player Paul Cook after the midfielder had put away a twice taken penalty to complete Burnley's 2-0 success.

Anger boiled over among Wednesday fans when, on 76 minutes, Cook's initial spot kick was saved by Owls keeper Chris Stringer but Stoke referee Phil Dowd ordered the kick retaken as defenders had encroached in the penalty area.

Cook's celebration after scoring at the second attempt was cut short as a Wednesday fan tried to grab the Burnley player and Ternent went to protect his man, being eventually calmed down and guided away from the fray by peacemaker Ronnie Jepson, the Clarets youth team coach.

"My view is that if the police and stewards can't protect my players then I will," said Ternent.

"If I have offended anyone by my actions then I apologise for that, but I was just trying to defend my player."

However, it was Wednesday who were most eager to apologise and take swift action over an incident that could lead to severe repercussions with the Football Association and Football League.

In addition to the initial incident another 'fan' had to be escorted from the pitch minutes later and two further individuals were ejected from the ground.

"Four arrests were made by the police for encroachment on the pitch, with one of those individuals charged with assault," confirmed a Wednesday spokesman.

"All four will be banned from the ground by the club until the end of the season, and the person charged with assault will face a longer ban."

Hillsborough manager Peter Shreeves was also quick to condemn the actions of those 'supporters'.

"It was a very sorry sight to see fans carrying on it that manner," said Shreeves.

"It was a throughly disappointing episode and not something that we want to see at Sheffield Wednesday."

And Shreeves had little sympathy with the fans who contested the penalty award and the retaken kick.

A gerald Sibon lunge which felled Clarets winger Glen Little brought the award and Shreeves said: "Gerald has put his hand up for that one, it was a careless challenge and I have no complaints - it was a penalty.

"Conceding the penalty was a disappointment, as was the retaken penalty for encroachment, but I believe that the referee had already warned our players before the kick was taken and again I cannot complain about a decision which was correct."