They have a great spirit, they are very together

“We are all disappointed to be knocked out of the cup but we cannot dwell on things,” he said. “We had a good little run and we have to look forward now to Saturday’s massive local derby against Doncaster.

“I think we started the Burnley game brightly and had a good spell of about twenty minutes where we caused some problems. We were looking ok but we conceded a bad goal and I think it is the first time in a long time that we have let a goal in from a corner or a set piece so that was disappointing.

“Looking back I think the two goals straight after half time really killed us. We were doing well again after the break and to let two in like that was disappointing.

“I think that if we had gone into the game with a full compliment and we had not had any injuries to contend with then things would have been different.”

Steve Cotterill saw the Clarets win for the first time since the previous round of the Carling Cup and it must have come as some relief to him to see the side back into winning ways.

“I thought we were comfortable after the second goal but we didn’t start as well as we could have. It was very quiet and for twenty minutes it was a little bit nip and tuck without anyone hurting each other. We gave them the respect they deserved and we felt as though we did well because it was a difficult game.

“I sat and watched Barnsley on a tape this morning and they are not bad, so it was a decent performance from our lads. We’ve moved the ball about like that as much as any team this season and if we keep doing that and knuckling down and doing the right things we will be okay.

“Those defeats will turn into wins and no one deserves it more than those lads in the dressing room. They have a great spirit, they are very together and they have been hurting a bit about what might have been said about them in the last week or so and I thought tonight they answered anything that was thrown at them.”

He went on to talk about the goals and the goal scorers. “The first goal was a well worked set piece, a fantastic delivery and two good headers,” he said.

“Ade Akinbiyi joked that his goal was pretty simple. I don’t mean it as disrespectful but it was an untypical Ade Akinbiyi goal really. The touch was first class, silky, around the keeper and he rolled it into an empty net.

“To be fair to him, he has scored a few good goals since he’s been here and the first touch was as good as what you will see all season. It was though he finished it all in one movement and I was thinking, ‘Slow down, don’t do that and miss’.

“It was nice for John Spicer to get on the scoresheet,” he added. “He’s a young lad whose enthusiasm is very infectious, he runs around all over the place, sometimes not in the right areas, but he’ll get there and I’m delighted for him.”