STEVE Cotterill felt the better team lost as Burnley's winning run came to an end at Leeds last night.

The Clarets dropped their first points in five games as second half goals from David Healy and former Turf Moor striker Robbie Blake kept Leeds' promotion charge in full swing.

But Cotterill insisted his team did not get the vital decisions that could have earned them a creditable result at Elland Road.

"I thought we were better than Leeds," said the Burnley manager.

"They scored their first goal against the run of play and we've no qualms with it because it was a penalty, but then it seemed as though every time anyone bumped into anyone in our final third, the referee blew his whistle.

"He gave absolutely everything to Leeds from the goal onwards. Some of the free kicks were so innocuous that I couldn't see how we weren't getting any and we seemed to lose our rhythm on the back of that.

"Up until then I thought we were the best team. We created enough chances and there was a stage in the first 45 minutes when Leeds didn't get out of their own half and if you were a betting man you would only have put your money on one team winning the game at half time."

"But the flip side is that our final ball and our finishing wasn't as good as it has been for the last couple of months, so we have to take defeat on the chin."

Burnley also had a goal disallowed in controversial fashion just after Healy's opener, when Jon Harley's quick free kick was cancelled out by referee Tony Bates because he had not blown to re-start play.

"What is wrong with a quick free kick?" asked Cotterill. "Certain players do it, bend it in the top corner and they are called a genius, while Jon does it and we have to take it again.

"I don't know what John was told, but maybe the referee didn't want to give anything potentially contentious."

On-loan Southampton winger Nathan Dyer was a huge plus for Burnley, making his first start in an unusual 3-5-2 formation and pressing his claims for further inclusion in Saturday's home game against Crewe, who suffered another heavy defeat at Luton last night, losing 4-1.

"Nathan was nice and lively. For someone so small he has a big heart and he's full of running and he caused them all sorts of problems in his role," said Cotterill.

"I think Leeds thought we would play with one up (front), so that caused them a bit of a different problem and they ended up narrowing their midfield to combat us.

"We also went with three centre halves which is unusual, but we've done it a few times with success and with a little bit more luck and composure in the final third it would have worked again."