I WONDER if the experts who failed to save London's "distressed" whale can apply their skills to humans?

Because if ever a manager looked and sounded distressed in equal measure then it was Steve Cotterill after the worst week of his managerial reign at Turf Moor ended as it began.

The Burnley boss is never one for ducking out of his post-match commitments, whatever the result.

But never have I seen such a bubbly, upbeat character looking so downbeat as Saturday's press conference, when his carefully chosen words finally hinted at the frustration of someone lacking financial clout and worried that his star striker seems destined to be sold to promotion chasing Sheffield United.

"It's been a **** week and I don't know if it's going to get any better," said the Clarets boss.

"The worst thing is you are never in charge of what happens. Since I have been here I've never been in charge of the destiny of players and that is my ambition in my career - to one day be in charge of that!"

Unfortunately, marine biologists are ill-equipped to solve the problem at a club that never seems to be able to say no' when richer rivals with fatter wallets come calling.

Ask a cross-section of Burnley fans and they will grudgingly accept that has nearly always been the case.

Yet surely, if only to raise expectations and stop a dwindling supporter base from eroding even more, something has to change.

Many are growing increasingly disillusioned at what is clearly perceived to be a "lack of ambition" - three words I must have heard or read 50 times in the last week.

More are questioning why chairman Barry Kilby and his board of directors targeted one of the brightest young managers around, only to view his daily struggle with a wafer-thin squad and offer little in the way of financial backing.

As Kilby will point out, £20,000 per week losses - equating to £1million per year - emphatically trump that argument.

But what must really rankle those loyal season ticket holders is seeing most of Cotterill's Championship counterparts regularly dipping their snouts into the transfer trough while Burnley's remains empty.

Those dissenting voices grew in number after witnessing a worrying taste of life without Akinbiyi.

The Clarets failed to score at Turf Moor for the first time this season as North End took the derby day honours.

Not one fan could fault the effort and commitment of a team missing their talisman striker. Indeed, Burnley largely dominated possession and, sparked by Wade Elliott, they prodded and probed for most of the afternoon.

However, North End's whopping 18-match unbeaten run has been built on the foundations of a rock-solid defence.

Ten clean sheets in 14 games meant it was always likely to need something special to break down a giant, powerful yellow wall.

But try as they might, Burnley sorely missed the muscle of their main man to stand up to the power and height of Youl Mawene and Co.

A combination of half-hearted penalty appeals and half chances offered sporadic hope that Burnley might squeeze something from the game.

But after David Nugent had given Preston the lead in the 13th minute, the visitors had something precious to hang onto until a mainstay of these games - a Graham Alexander penalty - settled the outcome.

Elliott led the Clarets charge from the off, weaving his way through the North End defence to tee-up James O'Connor, who sliced his shot wide.

However, the pendulum was swinging freely in the opening stages and the 13th minute proved unlucky as Burnley fell asleep from a cleverly worked Preston free kick.

Everyone was expecting emergency left back Graham Alexander to let fly from 25 yards after John McGreal was harshly penalised for a nudge on Danny Dichio.

But after Paul McKenna tapped the ball sideways, Alexander nonchalantly flicked the ball into the air and lobbed it gently over the static back line for Nugent to react quickest and slam a volley high past Brian Jensen from six yards.

That was exactly the start confident North End must have craved and Nugent could have doubled the lead five minutes later, this time getting his volley horribly wrong on the penalty spot.

But Burnley slowly steadied the ship after that nightmare start and with Elliott proving a constant threat, Preston boss Billy Davies soon swapped his full backs to give the sprightlier Tyrone Mears the task of quietening the Clarets wide man.

However, the hosts continued to build up a head of steam, with Graham Branch deployed as a strike partner for Gifton Noel-Williams.

Branch was almost the lucky recipient in the 33rd minute when, as the pressure mounted, keeper Carlo Nash punched the ball straight at his feet before recovering in the nick of time to erase the danger.

And Nash soon displayed better handling when he dived to grab Micah Hyde's dipping, goal-bound volley at full stretch.

Hope was returning to a noisy Turf Moor as Cotterill's side once again displayed their trademark fighting qualities.

But as the break loomed they were almost caught cold when Dichio nodded on a routine ball and Callum Davidson got to the bouncing ball before Jensen only to lob the ball onto the roof of the net from six yards.

The second half brought more pressing from Burnley; Elliott coming close on the hour with a rising 18-yard drive and Mawene and Mears both making terrific last-ditch tackles to exemplify North End's resilient defending.

But with neither keeper being seriously troubled, it was another of those controversial penalties that finally ended all hope of a fightback four minutes from time.

Sub Patrick Agyemang threw himself headlong after Frank Sinclair left a foot out and nemesis Alexander exorcised the last rites with his 45th successful spot kick in 50 attempts.