UPBEAT Burnley boss Stan Ternent insists his side are still on course for a promotion challenge, despite surrendering their 100 per cent home record to Brentford.

The Clarets let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with the buzzing Bees who are now unbeaten in 25 League games and just one spot behind third-placed Burnley.

But Ternent insisted: "We have got 19 points out of 10 games. So if we had 76 points from 40 games then I would be quite happy at that rate.

"Although we would be four short of the target we set because we work on six games cycles and we like to get, if we possibly can ,12 points per six games."

A 76-point total was enough to get into last season's play-offs and if Burnley reached that mark with six games to go they would be hopeful of matching the 87 points Walsall collected to secure the second automatic promotion places.

The Clarets have still lost only once this season and Saturday's fightback by Brentford represented only a second disappointing result of the campaign. But that didn't mask the anguish at failing to capitalise on goals from Andy Payton and Paul Cook, as Brentford were handed a route back into the game by an uncharacteristic mistake from Gordon Armstrong and a wonder goal from Paul Evans, aided by the referee.

"We were very disappointed that we didn't get the three points, although half a loaf is better than nothing," insisted Ternent.

"We have to take it on the chin and we look forward to next Sunday against Scunthorpe and see if we can put it right then.

"I thought we were fair value for our lead at half-time and we'd got to nearly 15 minutes into the second half when they weren't going anywhere and the game was dead.

"We were winning well at that stage before a slip-up from the skipper, which their lad finished well, and then the referee getting in the way of one.

"But he's part of the field of play so you've got to accept that. There's no complaints there and the lad did the same thing as he did last week and scored a fantastic goal."

The Clarets chief, happy to be up there challenging after the traumas of last season, added: "We had a couple of half-chances towards the end but we couldn't get the win which I felt our play deserved. But we've got to be better than we were in the second half. The players are well aware of that and I'm sure we will be in the long run.

"We would have liked to have kept a 100 per cent home record and it looked as though we were going to do that. But out of adversity a lot of good things can happen and that's our aim and that's our ambition." Defender Steve Davis admitted the result had "felt like a defeat" and stressed the need to bounce back emphatically against Scunthorpe at Turf Moor next Sunday.

"When you're 2-0 up it's disappointing to have got a draw. You feel like you've been beaten really," he said.

"At 2-0 up you think along the lines of Colchester. But it's a terrible scoreline.

"Whoever gets the next goal, it can change the course of the game."

Accrington Clarets hold their monthly meeting in the Queens Hotel, Accrington tonight, start 8pm.

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