Burnley's Cork relishing trip to the Palace

Middlesbrough substitute Tarmo Kink’s late midweek double extended the Clarets’ poor run on the road to just one league win in 25 games.

And the on-loan Chelsea midfielder admitted it came as a personal disappointment that his first Championship start of the season coincided with a second consecutive away loss.

But while Burnley will be miles from home again on Saturday, when they travel to the capital to take on Crystal Palace, Cork will be closer to his.

And the Londoner is determined to show manager Brian Laws he is worthy of his place in the side by inspiring the Clarets to their first away win of the season.

“We were unlucky really at Middlesbrough. You want to get into a winning team so it’s a bit disappointing that my first start is an away defeat,” said the England Under 21 international, who had previously been forced to settle for cameo appearances from the bench after signing a season-long loan at Turf Moor.

“It was hard for us to take. Everyone’s really disappointed because we didn’t play our best in the first half but in the second half we had some good passages of play and things didn’t really go our way.

“We conceded a few fouls towards the end, although some of them shouldn’t have been considered fouls,” added Cork, referring to a dubious free kick from which Kink scored a stoppage time winner.

“If their substitute hadn’t come on I don’t think they would have scored because they hadn’t really created anything.

“We were beaten by two great goals, but we had the rub of the green on Saturday and Tuesday was one of those days when things don’t go your way.

“But hopefully we can take some of the hard work and effort into Saturday.”

And geography is in Burnley’s favour as far as Cork is concerned at the weekend, as Selhurst Park is a stone’s throw from the midfielder’s home.

“Palace is my local club really. It’s only five or 10 miles from my house,” he said.

“If we can get a win there it’ll be even better for me.”