Clarets boss Stan Ternent was determined to look on the bright side as his team dropped two points with a late collapse at Brighton on Saturday.

At 2-0 up with only a couple of minutes remaining, it should have been game over but a dramatic late double by Steve Sidwell ensured the points were shared.

"It was very disappointing to see that at such a late stage of the match but I prefer to look on the other side," he said.

"We have got a point away from home although it was a big surprise to me not to win the match.

"All in all it is a point. We are doing alright, we have got 36 points and my ambition is still to get into the top six.

"If I can get my players fit and my best team out we will be very competitive."

Despite the positive spin, he did concede his side had blown it at the Withdean Stadium, as he explained: "We should have been more professional but that

happens from time to time. We needed to defend higher up the field.

"There were a lot of good performances out there and we have still got a lot of players out. We will get stronger and we have done extremely well in the circumstances.

"The players did well again but we have to eliminate the silly mistakes and stop defending in the wrong part of the field."

There will certainly be no room for errors on New Year's Day with the trip to Bramall Lane to take on in-form Sheffield United. They were held to a goalless draw by Coventry at the weekend.

It has not been a happy hunting ground for the Clarets in recent years and Ternent was today checking on the fitness of a number of his injured players.

"Lee Briscoe didn't travel down with us but he has started running and he might have a bit of a chance," he said, although he knows he faces an even bigger selection dilemma at the weekend with Dean West, Gareth Taylor and

Glen Little all suspended for the FA Cup clash at Grimsby.

With Steve Davis, Paul Cook and Andy Payton definitely out, having Briscoe and possibly Graham Branch available again would be a timely boost.

At least both trips will not involve the eight hours coach journey they had to endure the day before the Brighton game.