Unhappy new jeers

NEW Year, same old story.

Burnley have found a rut and they can't get themselves out of it.

For the best part of half-an-hour yesterday they gave Wolves the run-around and ended their goal drought with a well worked effort from Graham Branch after just nine minutes.

Even after Adam Proudlock had equalised and doubts had begun to resurface either side of half-time, the Clarets came through their test of nerve and looked at the least ready to stop the rot after four straight defeats.

Instead, their current ability to self-destruct returned to haunt them five minutes from time when Lee Naylor's free-kick from near the touch-line was allowed to travel unaided into the far corner of Nik Michopoulos's net after Carl Robinson had distracted the keeper at his near post.

"Those type of balls into the box are dangerous but we should be clearing them," said disappointed Clarets manager Stan Ternent, who is enduring his worst run of results since taking the Turf Moor helm two-and-a-half years ago.

And Burnley's inertia after going into December as serious play-off challengers has also started to frustrate the supporters.

After three successive home defeats their impatience is understandable to a degree.

But the players need the fans to continue to look at the bigger picture and stay with them as they look to cope with their first serious dip in form for the best part of two years.

Consolidation rather than promotion may again become the watchword after the recent fall from grace but Ternent is confident that better times are ahead.

He said: "We started off well and took an early lead but it's very frustrating at the moment, we aren't getting any breaks.

"It was a good goal and a nice move but we didn't get enough, though on chances I think I must have been to a different game from John (Ward) because on chances we were a million miles in front.

"We could have scored four or five goals quite easily but it hasn't happened, so we have got to keep putting the ball in there, keep going in there and sooner or later it will turn for us."

The Clarets are currently falling just the wrong side of the fine line between success and failure, although Ternent believes Burnley's form isn't reflected in their dismal run of results. He added: "Football is all about confidence, results breed confidence, and we had an exceptionally good first part of the season.

"In the last five games we should have got something out of all of them except the Preston game, when we didn't deserve to, in my view.

"We should have got something today but we didn't so we've got to take it on the chin and crack on."

Whether they crack on with any new players remains to be seen, although the lack of new arrivals since Ian Moore can't be for want of trying.

The Clarets could do with the lift of a new face and at least the impending return from injury of Lee Briscoe and Glen Little will increase the manager's selection options.

He could do with one of them to become a central midfield player, however, as Paul Weller and Paul Smith have both done well in their absence.

Kevin Ball, Paul Cook and Steve Davis were also missing through suspension yesterday and it was the midfield men whose loss was most keenly felt once Burnley had lost the grip they enjoyed in the opening period.

Gordon Armstrong again did a sound job as Davis's stand-in and proved that he can still do an effective job. Ronnie Jepson also does his bit when asked and, while there's no doubt that Dele Adebola would be a more attractive option coming off the bench, he's not at Turf Moor and Jepson is.

His best days may be behind him but he was the man Burnley turned to for a late equaliser so the boos that greeted his arrival were not surprisingly condemned by Ternent.

The Clarets could never have envisaged needing to rescue a point the way they started as Branch swept them ahead from Weller's astute square pass.

Weller darted through the Wolves defence at regular intervals with Branch and Smith doing likewise on the other flank and Moore used his pace to good effect up the middle.

Burnley's slick passing created openings for Branch, Lennie Johnrose and Micky Mellon but Wolves weren't made to pay and their leveller on the break through Proudlock changed the face of the game.

Burnley needed Michopoulos to keep them on a level footing with three fine saves before the break, the last a corker from George Ndah, before Michael Branch should have won a penalty seven minutes into the second half following a trip by Smith.

Burnley survived and hit back to regain a measure of control and were denied a penalty themselves when Kevin Muscat handled Moore's volley either side of a vicious Smith free-kick which was tipped round the post by Michael Oakes and a wasted free header from Moore.

Armstrong also had a header blocked in front of goal and substitute Brad Maylett spurned an inviting chance from Mitchell Thomas's fine pass.

And Burnley's timidness in front of goal was harshly exposed at the death when Naylor scored the softest of goals to make it anything but a season to be jolly at Turf Moor.