Chinese torture

A CHINESE takeaway would have stuck in the Burnley players throats after they slipped to their third successive league defeat.

The Clarets left Grimsby with a sour rather than sweet taste as the Mariners Chinese captain Zhang Enhua showed them how to finish as Burnley's current slump shows no sign of lifting.

And the frustrating defeat has left Burnley manager Stan Ternent hungry for answers as they strive to halt a run which has seen them lose eight of their last ten League games.

"We could have won every one of our last few games but we are getting caught with our pants down.

"I can't remember the last time we won. I'm becoming a good loser.

"We have got to do better.

"We got 38 points from our first 20 games and now we have 42 points from 30. That means we have got just four points out of a possible 30. Tell me what is going wrong.

"They are the same players."

Furious Ternent, whose side haven't won on their travels in the league since October, shook his head several times, shouted at his players and ended up leaning against the dug-out as frustratingly the minutes ticked away at Blundell Park.

"I thought we had enough chances to win the game. The goal we gave away was Towneley Holmes stuff. We are just not good enough at the moment."

It's not that Burnley aren't more than a match for the likes of relegation-threatened Grimsby but the first goal at Blundell Park was always going to be vital in a nervy encounter with both sides desperate to get some points on the board.

The Clarets had their moments prior to the Mariners' winner and just seem to be lacking in confidence at the moment.

The defence have now leaked seven goals in the last three losses and they are being punished for every mistake while the frontmen are not relieving the pressure on the back line.

A game at home to league leaders Fulham in their current run seems a daunting prospect at Turf Moor tomorrow night but maybe the proposed addition of striker Gareth Taylor today will lift some of the present gloom.

Ian Moore was the lone frontman at Grimsby as Ternent started with a 5-3-1 formation, leaving no room for top scorer Andy Payton who started on the bench.

And although the former Stockport man Moore worked tirelessly up front, he struggled to get close to adding to his two goal tally for the Clarets since his £1.1m move.

Moore didn't get much change out of Grimsby's two central defenders Enhua and skipper Paul Groves but Ternent would have expected him to convert at least one of a number of gilt-edged chances.

Ten minutes before the interval, Lennie Johnrose put Moore clean through and he raced down the right flank with only Grimsby keeper Danny Coyne to beat but the goalie was never tested as the former Notts Forest man fired high and wide into the stand.

And, with Burnley chasing the game, again Moore got the ball unmarked but he delayed just too long and was dispossessed by the Chinese defender.

But the frontman also struggled to see much service from the wings.

Glen Little showed some of his mazy runs and tricks but wasn't always able to provide the crosses and John Mullin was also thwarted several times on the opposite flank.

Mullin though did think he had repaid his return to the starting line-up after being on the bench for the late Crystal Palace defeat nine days ago but referee Uriah Rennie waved away his penalty appeals when he appeared to be fouled by Groves.

"It wasn't a penalty as the referee didn't give one. I do not talk about these things, I'll let the Premiership managers talk about it," was all Ternent would say on the matter.

Payton, with 14 goals for the Clarets this term, was introduced on the hour as Burnley chased the game but he only had one real chance to break the deadlock.

Six minutes from time, a Steve Davis flick on fell to Payton in the area. But Coyne was there to steal the ball from his feet -- when earlier in the season it would have looked a dead cert that Payt's would have reacted first and put it away.

But there was no one more disappointed than Burnley skipper Davis who was furious when he missed the visitors best chance.

He headed over a Moore cross with the goal at his mercy as the defender looked to take his tally to six goals for the season -- and become the Clarets second top scorer, which suggests where some of Ternent's problems lie.

Davis tried to make amends, playing up front for the final ten minutes but that was the perfect chance for Burnley gone and, as they've found out in recent games, one mistake and they are punished.

Despite the return of Mitchell Thomas to the starting eleven the Burnley defence allowed Chinese skipper Enhua to do as he pleased.

A corner from Dutchman Menno Willems was lofted into the area and racing in was Enhua to head the ball down and past keeper Nik Michopolous who, other than this, had little to do.

The travelling fans would have scoffed at the sign when entering Cleethorpes "Welcome to Great Grimsby", expecting the Clarets to get their season back on track following the indifferent run against a side who were just two points above the drop zone.

Instead Ternent has to hope Turf Moor isn't a welcome place for continental pacesetters Fulham tomorrow night. - which would make him Burnley's second top scorer and shows where some of Ternent's problems lie