SCOTT Parker said there were ‘no excuses’ after the Clarets nine-match unbeaten run came to an end at Millwall on Sunday afternoon.

It was just a second defeat of the season for Burnley who missed out on the chance of climbing back to second place in the Championship table - and Parker said he was more disappointed than frustrated.

Jake Cooper’s towering header early in the second half was enough for the Lions to secure a third-straight victory and condemn the Clarets to a first defeat in over two months

Parker admitted his side played into Millwall’s hands as the game fizzled out.

“I think I’m more disappointed than frustrated to be honest,” he told the club website. “We knew their threats and that set pieces would be crucial.

“It was about restricting them where they can be dangerous, winning second balls and not getting involved in the emotion of the game or getting caught up in it.

“The first 30/35 minutes we came here and did exactly what you need to do to settle this place down and quieten the crowd. We didn’t have too many chances, and of course that’s a factor which we need to keep working on, but the second-half we struggled.

“Certainly once they go a goal up it’s always going to be a struggle to get back into it, but I felt the longer the game went on, we got caught up in the occasion, played into their hands and it affected us.”

While Parker pointed out his young Burnley team is still adapting to playing Championship football, he said there is still an expectation for them to be competing at the top of the table.

“It’s a new team, a young team, inexperienced in terms of Championship games, but it’s no excuse,” he said. “We need to keep pushing on to get a reaction and it’s my job to do that.”

He added: “Of course, we are aware and understand the expectation for us to go to places and win games and dominate games in certain moments, but there’s a balance to be had.

“Just for an example, Andreas (Hountondji) was making only his second start for us and he has never played in England before this season. I thought he showed a few moments across the game.

“I just felt as the game went on you could sense it a bit, in terms of playing into the occasion and getting caught into the emotion of it as a whole. It just looked like desperation and we lost our composure as it went on.”

Burnley will now look to bounce back on Thursday evening when they head to sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion.