Hill had been forced into changes because of the injury crisis at Barnsley, worsened by those picked up by Bobby Hassell and Jay McEveley at Portsmouth three days earlier, so he was even more pleased at the way they dealt with it.
"Superb, I'm over the moon for the players," he said. "There were a lot of sacrificial performances out there. Craig Davies was playing not where he's meant to. I brought Jim O'Brien across to cover Kieran Trippier and he kept him quiet, so all credit to him.
"They got the reward for their efforts over what I consider an excellent Burnley side. We know we can be competitive and have a good chance of not losing any match."
He continued: "I'm getting great respect from all the players and I'm really pleased with the progress we're making. The players are happy to play for the team, not ourselves, and I'm really happy with everyone's contribution.
"We do have ambition to be more successful than just retaining our Championship status. The first aim is to get over the line, then you can build again."
For Howe it was another disappointing night, but he felt that we'd played well enough other than some defensive lapses.
He said after the game: "I felt we had our chances tonight and played really well in patches, particularly at the start of the second half when I thought a goal was just around the corner.
"If we'd scored then I felt we'd have gone on to win the game, but its ifs and maybes and we've lost it by conceding two poor goals. You have to stay in the game and make sure you don't concede sloppy goals and the ones we've conceded has been the story of our season.
"We've kept one clean sheet and that tells its own story. We simply have to do better and I know that Burnley supporters will be desperately disappointed and we all are as staff and players.
"I share the fans' frustrations and I'm not stupid. I can hear what they say and I understand their frustrations. They are right to express their disappointment and as a manager all I can ask is for honesty and endeavour from my players.
"With the quality we've got I know we will win games, but from my side I know that time is of the essence and we need to win games.
"There are extreme reactions and that's football! People do have extremes as supporters and I can understand that. It's my job to try and stay on a level footing, aware of the results and the need to improve them.
"I would only ask the fans to stick with me and my players and see if we can come through this together. I think I am an honest guy and if it's not then I'd be the first to put my hand up and say it's not going to work."
Howe added: "Tonight Ross Wallace had one cleared off the line early on, Junior put a number of crosses across the goal, Jay hit the bar and Charlie had six or seven shots tonight when, on another day, he might have scored two.
"I thought we looked good going forward tonight and there is goals in the team, I really believe that. But we have to stop conceding them."