AS the international break returns, now represents as good an opportunity as any to reflect on the Clarets’ opening to the season.

With two games gone Burnley have achieved the minimum that is expected of them – mainly that they occupy the final place in the Championship play-offs.

Given the squad and the money at his disposal compared to his rivals, Brian Laws’ men should be regular fixtures in the top six through the course of the campaign, in what is turning out to be a pretty mediocre division.

Finding the back of the net has not proved too much of a problem, not at Turf Moor at least.

Although Big Chris has supplied seven of the 15 goals, there is a worry that we are perhaps over reliant on Iwelumo.

The Clarets have not been leaking goals either.

In fact with the exception of Preston North End, Brian Jensen is unbeaten in four of the five games played at home.

But while Burnley’s form at Turf Moor is the stuff promotion challenges are built on, it is a different story once the Clarets leave their home comforts behind.

Laws’ challengers have yet to place a victory on the road.

In order to achieve an instant return to the land of milk and honey, sides tend to need somewhere in the region of nine or 10 wins away from their own patch.

With a return of three points from a possible 15 and three goals in seven-and-a-half hours of football, Burnley are coming up well short on the required standard.

There have been patches in games, most noticeably at Crystal Palace, when Burnley have led things and suggested they have what it takes to win away fixtures.

Brian Laws needs to bring this quality out of his players more frequently.

An ideal time to start picking up points on the road would be immediately after the international break.

The Clarets will resume their Championship programme at a Sheffield United side struggling for both goals and form under the recently appointed Gary Speed.

Traditionally Bramall Lane has been a bogey ground for the Clarets, with the exception of the Chris Eagles-inspired 3-2 victory in the promotion season.

But with the goal-shy Blades going through a transition phase, there may never be a better time to rack up our first away win of the season.