BOURNEMOUTH will have to drop their asking price for Clarets transfer target Eddie Howe if the central defender is to complete a move to Turf Moor.

Burnley tabled a bid for the 23-year-old earlier this week but the Second Division club asked for more and Clarets chairman Barry Kilby revealed that he isn't willing to meet their terms.

Kilby said: "We put a figure in for him at our worth. Just like the John Aloisi thing they have come back to us and we're not prepared to pay.

"I had several discussions with the agent and we did table a bid for Howe. They came back with a much higher figure but at that we're not interested. It's as simple as that."

Burnley would still like to sign the player but won't be held to ransom with Kilby admitting it's now a stand-off over conflicting valuations for Ian Cox's former defensive partner.

"If they want to come back the ball's in their court," added the chairman.

"He's the right profile for somebody we would take but we don't think he's worth what they're asking."

However, Burnley will be boosted by the inclusion of another central defender in Mitchell Thomas for tomorrow's trip to Grimsby Town.

Kevin Ball also returns to the squad as the Clarets look for their first win since October.

That statistic isn't worrying assistant boss Sam Ellis though, as he believes Burnley did enough to win each of their last two games.

He said: "We're not worried and the players aren't worried and you'd like that to pass through to the fans and hopefully if we go on in a certain vein for long enough it will do.

"I think every time we go out we feel we can win the game. We've never altered that attitude or approach in anything we've done.

"We felt we played well last Saturday as well. It was just one of those games where there were chances at both ends and we came off on the wrong side but we feel we're good enough and we're sure we played well enough on Saturday to get a result."

Back-to-back defeats have left Burnley in 10th place with just one win from nine League games and midfielder Lennie Johnrose is anxious to put the record straight.

He said: "Everyone knows we've not be in the best form lately. We thought we'd turned the corner a little bit and then we got knocked back with two defeats so we've go to start from scratch and hopefully pick up some points tomorrow.

"I think we've been a little bit unfortunate. When you look at the Crewe game some of the goals were maybe a bit dubious but you've got to take that and make your own luck a little bit. We're not making excuses and we've got to try and win the game.

"I don't know too much about Grimsby to be honest and I'm not really too worried about how they play.

"It's a case of us sorting our form out and if we play to anything like our potential hopefully we'll get the points."

Burnley from: Michopoulos, Weller, Branch, Cox, Thomas, Davis, Little, Mellon, Ball, Cook, Johnrose, Moore, Payton, Mullin, Armstrong, Smith, Maylett, Brass, West, Crichton.

Grimsby from: Coyne, McDermott, Groves, Enhua, Smith, Donovan, Burnett, Coldicott, Campbell, Livingstone, Jeffrey, Rowan, Raven, Butterfield, Willems, Pouton, Black, Handyside, Croudson.