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Player-boss Gary McAllister spoke after the game and was unhappy at the way his side had started the game,
"I was happy with the way we played in the second half and we were a bit unfortunate to lose the third goal. But we cant afford to start playing at 2-0 down we have to do it at 0-0.
"We had to change it around at half time with us losing 2-0 and down to ten men. We felt hard done by at half time but Gary McSheffrey came on and did a good job.
"I thought the sending off was harsh although I had my back turned. Craig is an experienced player and he knows how far to go with referees. He’ll miss two games for that now.
"When we scored I thought that we might have one more golden opportunity, we did but McSheffrey put it over."
Stan was pleased with his team particularly with it coming so soon after the tough game against Spurs in midweek.
"It was a good entertaining match and it was good to get two goals in the first half but they came back at us in the second half and we had to dig in.
"The ten men worked their socks off and they changed their system in the second half so credit to them.
"They had a good go at us and made it tough but credit to our players as well because they had a tough match on Wednesday. We’ve won though and I think we shaded it.
"Don’t underestimate this win because they have a lot of Premiership players in their squad and they have spent a lot of money on that team in recent years.
"Tony Grant took his goal very well and I am pleased for Graham Branch because he has been playing ever so well and it is difficult to win the crowd over at Burnley sometimes because the expectation is so high. But it is a team effort and they all played their part and I have to give ten out of ten to Dean West who had an injection before the game because he has a couple of broken ribs."
Burnley thank Grant
Pete Oliver (Sunday Times)
AFTER three straight league defeats, any win would do for Burnley. But they could hardly have made more heavy weather of beating a Coventry side that found itself two goals and a man down seven minutes before half-time.
Burnley were already leading through Robbie Blake’s 15th-minute penalty and Tony Grant’s first goal for the club 20 minutes later, when Craig Hignett was dismissed.
Yet rather than wilt, Coventry dominated for long spells in the second half. Gary McAllister pulled one back from the spot and the relief around Turf Moor was palpable when Gareth Taylor’s attempted cross was deflected in by Calum Davenport three minutes from the end.
Burnley were slow to start after their midweek Worthington Cup triumph over Tottenham but it was their match winners from that tie which sparked the home side into life.
Blake opened the scoring from the spot after Glen Little had been upended by Dean Gordon, and Burnley tightened their grip when Grant made a neat finish after a positive run and fortunate bounce.
Coventry’s misery was then compounded when Hignett was sent off for speaking out of turn to referee Mike Jones.
McAllister, City’s player manager, made a double change at half-time in an effort to get back into the game.
The approach paid off when Graham Branch lunged in at Davenport and McAllister rolled home the spot-kick, but Davenport’s own goal sealed the points for Burnley.