Thorn, who had complained of his side playing well only in the second half previously, found things the opposite way round today. He said: "In the first half, we were playing really well and we were in full control.
"Even up until we scored, I think we were still on top but when we did score we shot ourselves in the foot. We paid the consequences for dropping off and there is a lesson to be learned there. They were really poor goals for us to concede and even though we played well, we shouldn't be conceding goals like that."
Thorn saw the game change dramatically Burnley's way after his midfielder Gael Bigirimana was sent off, a decision that Howe said he thought was harsh but understandable. "It wasn't a malicious challenge at all as he isn't that way inclined. There was nothing in it like that," Thorn added.
"They had the extra man and they used it really well. They moved the ball to take advantage of the sending off but the goals were really poor from our point of view.
"The last goal is a comedy of errors as we should clear it but we don't and you get punished for things like that. I've just said to the lads in there that they have to learn from these situations and pick themselves up and get going again."
It was all smiles in the Burnley dressing room and Howe said: "You could see from the reaction of the players what the second goal means. They are an honest group and we are by no means the finished article.
"But what the Burnley fans want to see is that character and heart week in and week out. If we do that, the fans will back us to the hilt, I've no doubt.
"Charlie could have had three or four, but if you are there to miss them then you are doing something right. He had a badly infected toe and we didn't know how he would be, but we wanted to include him on the bench.
"When he came on he showed no ill effects and from the minute we changed we were on top. He was in the right place time and time again and just when you thought it wasn't going to be his day, eventually he tucks one away."
Austin came on for Keith Treacy with five minutes of the first half remaining and Howe explained: "I felt we were disappointing for half an hour. I had to make a change to improve things and go two up front.
"Keith (Treacy) didn't really hit the heights that we expect of him, in our out of possession, and I am not frightened to change things. Every player who goes onto the pitch has to perform, or they won't stay on the pitch. Some things you have to do for the good of the team.
"Then we conceded as poor goal out of nothing when we were well on top. They hadn't had any pressure and suddenly we find ourselves a goal down again and we're scratching our heads again and wondering why.
"It happens too often and I felt we needed to make another change. Ben (Mee) has had to wait patiently after losing his place through injury and he was excellent when he came on."
The third substitution saw Zavon Hines replace Jay Rodriguez who suffered an injury in helping set up our equaliser. Jay has a suspected broken nose and Howe joked: "It was a great, brave header by Jay and he now joins the strikers' club of having smashed up noses.
"He's ok, but had stitches and he won't be too pleased with that when he looks in the mirror, but he now looks like a proper centre forward."
And so, after conceding a late winner last week it was all reversed this week. "Football has a way of dragging you up and smashing you back down again and today we're up," he said. "I was really, really pleased with the second half performance. It shows what we are all about and hopefully we can find that consistency now."