STEVE Cotterill hailed the character in his camp as Burnley shook off a nightmare start against Southampton to continue their recent revival.

The Clarets fell behind to a Phil Bardsley own goal after just 38 seconds of last night's Championship clash at Turf Moor.

But after new signing Andy Gray squared things up with his second goal in five days, Cotterill felt his side deserved more from their second half powerplay, which saw Alan Mahon come closest to winning the game with a drive from distance that ratted the crossbar.

He said: "I think there have been times this season when we have come off the pitch and the players could have gone and played again the next day.

"But I don't think there is one player in the dressing room who could have done that after last night's game.

"We showed great character because after going a goal down like that you can easily fold, so I am pleased with the lads' efforts and there is just a tinge of disappointment because I felt we did enough to win the game.

"Our second half performance was very good and their goalkeeper, Kevin Miller, pulled off some excellent saves.

"Then there was Alan Mahon's shot which, if it had been six inches lower, would have beaten any keeper. But I think he (Miller) deserves a mention because with his contribution he could probably have been man of the match."

Gray, who had scored just two goals all season before joining Burnley, has now doubled his tally within a week after finding the target for the second successive home game.

The former Sunderland striker neatly side-stepped Miller when clean through to score from an acute angle.

Cotterill added: "I'm not totally convinced on Andy's decision-making on the goal.

"I think he went the difficult way around the keeper, but if he does that every week he can go whichever way round the roundabout he wants!

"He is a good lad and we are not just pleased with his goals - we are pleased with his overall contribution.

"For someone who has not played a lot of football since Boxing Day he has acquitted himself very well since he has been here."

Four points from two games has now steadied the ship after six straight league defeats.

And although the Clarets missed out on an opportunity to jump to 13th place in the Championship table, equalling the position they finished in last season, the opportunity is there to finsh the season on a high - starting at struggling Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Cotterill insisted: "We can look forward to going to Sheffield Wednesday now and we just need to make sure we don't play like we did for the first hour against them at Turf Moor.

"We need to perform as we did in the last 30 minutes of that game and if we do we will look forward to getting another result."