STEVE Cotterill offered no apologies after leg-weary Burnley edged out Hull City on Friday night to leap six places up the Championship table.

Ade Akinbiyi's ninth goal of the season earned the Clarets a fourth win in six league games and 11th position - the highest league placing in eight months ahead of today's league fixtures.

And Clarets boss Cotterill was delighted at the determination to get the midweek Carling Cup defeat to Aston Villa out of the system by grinding out a morale-boosting three points.

"It was a super way to finish a difficult week," said Cotterill. "A few weeks ago we said it might take us three weeks to get into the top half of the table, but we've got there a week early, albeit for 24 hours.

"Hull came here, played well and probably deserved to get something out of the game, but that has been us this season.

"We don't feel as though we deserved to be down there at times, so we are delighted with the win and there are no apologies for being under the cosh and winning 1-0."

Cotterill added: "Ade's goal was terrific - a good enough goal to win any game - but other than we looked tired and it looked as if it was our third game in six days.

"We were a pale shadow of the side from the second half at Aston Villa, but when you ask players to play three times in a week it's enough and if you then knock off that one day it's vital.

"The lads were not quite ready because we used up loads of energy against Villa and we didn't get out of the blocks as we would have liked to.

"In the fifteen minutes before half time we could have scored two or three and it would have been game over, but at 1-0 you are always up against it and fortunately we just had enough in the end and we can look forward to a weekend off now before Tuesday's (home) game against Millwall."

Goalkeeper Brian Jensen was another hero on the night with three crucial saves to keep City out, including a breathtaking stoppage time save from Stuart Elliott with the last touch of the match.

But Cotterill believes the balance has finally swung in Burnley's favour after being on the receiving end for most of the campaign.

He insisted: "It's about time our goalkeeper was man of the match because we've played against a few (this season) who have done that. I don't personally like that when we are at home because it tells a tale, but we will take it."