TYRONE Mears has targeted two home wins to ensure a complete recovery from Burnley’s derby defeat.

The Clarets’ fifth away loss on the spin was made even more painful by the opposition, and a missed chance to end a 30-year wait for a win over the old enemy, Blackburn Rovers.

But Mears warned the Premier League newcomers not to let Sunday’s result cloud their bid to survive at this level, and instead turn their attentions to maintaining an unblemished home record in consecutive home games against Wigan Athletic, tomorrow, and Hull City next Saturday.

“Poor goals are what’s lost us the game,” the 26-year-old right back conceded.

“It was difficult, obviously more for the fans, but the main objective is staying in this league.

"That’s all we’re concentrating on, and that’s what we’ve got to do especially with these two games coming up.

“I think we’ve made a good start to the season but there’s still a lot of negativity there with us not winning away from home.

“People will try to pick up on as many negatives as they can.

"The away win will come very soon, I’m sure of that. We’re not worried at all.

“What’s really important is we continue with the home form.”

And while Mears admits he revels in the chance to compete in the glamour games against the ‘big four’, he knows their next two fixtures take on a greater significance for the Clarets.

“I enjoy playing against the big teams - the Manchester Uniteds, all the teams at the top. They’re big games for me.

"But as a club the next two games are the biggest because these are the games we need to win,” said the former Preston defender.

“They’re so important. We need to be picking up six points.

“I think we played well at times (on Sunday), Blackburn were difficult to play against, the tactics they played were very strong and direct but I think we showed quite a lot of courage to come back in the game.”

Mears believes Burnley can build on the strong finale at Ewood Park to stop 14th-placed Wigan breaching their Turf Moor fortress, while the Stockport-born fullback credits manager Owen Coyle with restoring an upbeat mood in the camp following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat.

“The away form might stick in our minds a little bit but with the manager that doesn’t happen,” he said.

“We came in really disappointed on Monday. I’m sure he would have been the same and it got to him over the weekend but he comes in smiling, happy and he helps us forget about it.

“He jokes around and he’s just fantastic to have around. I’ve never really been with a manager like this before.”

Allied to a return to the Premier League, where he featured for West Ham and Derby, Coyle was a big factor in Mears’ decision to sign for Burnley in the summer.

Having been with the Rams when they ended the 2007/08 season with the Premier League’s lowest points total, joining the newly promoted Clarets was perceived as a risk, but Mears said: “Like what all the other players say, the most important thing is the manager.

"I think every player that’s signed here has said the reason why they did is the manager.

“I was at Marseille on loan and I wanted to come back and sign for a big club in the Premier League.

“But the manager said to me as long as you’re fit and hungry and you’re in good form you’ll play and we’ll give you that platform to play.

“He just wanted me to come here, enjoy myself and show everyone what I can do, so for me it was a perfect option.

“I have to be honest, at first I thought of the negative sides of coming here; you would do because they’ve just been promoted to the Premier League, it’s not a big club, they weren’t going to spend a lot of money and it’s a very young side. Those were the negatives. But from what the manager said to me and the cup run the team had (last season) they showed they could compete with the big teams.

“I look at the Premier League and I see the top four, five or six - whatever you want to call it - after that I don’t see a lot of difference.

"And that’s why, coming to Burnley, I thought we could have a chance of staying up.

“Plus the manager is such a positive person and I knew he’d be able to get the best out of me.”

So much so, Mears’ international ambitions have been stoked.

“I’m pleased with my start, definitely. In previous seasons I’ve wanted to stand out and be the best player.

"I realise it doesn’t work that way. I just need to do my job, take care of my job and hopefully that will be enough to stay in the team,” he said.

“And I want to play for my country; I want to play for England.”