BURNLEY manager Brian Laws insists his players are working hard to solve their away day problems after Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round exit at Reading.

The Clarets have now suffered 12 defeats from 15 games on their travels this season and only scored in one of the last six.

Laws was hopeful of recording a first away clean sheet at the Madejski Stadium and forcing a replay, until Gylfi Sigurdsson popped up late to secure a second consecutive Premier League scalp for the Royals, who beat Liverpool in a replay at Anfield earlier this month.

“We desperately wanted to get through to the next round and, in the end, their pressure on the goal broke through us,” said the Clarets boss after his second game in charge.

“I was disappointed with that because we didn’t play as well as I know they’re capable of, I thought we didn’t control the ball well in the first half, we didn’t pass it well enough and there were a few factors in that.

“Thompson was sick through the night but gave it a go, he was very weak, and looked it.

“Therefore they had too much of the ball at the back and were comfortable with it.

“In the second half, we changed that with Paterson and showed more energy, and all of a sudden we’d upped the tempo of the game and looked more dangerous.

“We had a good 20-minute spell where we looked more like ourselves and passed the ball better in the last third, and created a few good chances.

“There were a few quality saves from their keeper, and it kept them in the game.

“But if you don’t take your chances, you know you’re going to come under pressure, and the disappointing thing was we were four minutes away from our first clean sheet for a while."

Laws will welcome back striker David Nugent for tomorrow's derby with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium, after the Portsmouth loanee was unavailable for cup action.

Steven Fletcher, who was rested after taking a knock in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, is also expected to return.

"That gives us real positives going into the next game.

"We weren't at our strongest up front, but we've got better quality coming back which will make us a better team," said Laws, who knows how much it would mean to record that first Premier League away win against bottom six rivals Bolton, when Burnley face former manager Owen Coyle for the first time since he quit Turf Moor almost three weeks ago.

"My first three games are away from home, and I want to get a win under my belt as quick as possible," he said.

"But we've got a lot of hard work to do, we knew that from the start.

"There was no way this was going to be an easy task, because of the problems we inherited in terms of the away performances.

"But one thing the players will do is keep carrying on, they're determined to turn it around.

"There's an extra edge to Bolton with Owen there now, and it's a derby, so it should be an exciting game."

Meanwhile, Laws welcomed the return of Chris McCann and Martin Paterson following a four-month injury lay-off through serious knee injuries, although he revealed circumstances led to McCann starting at left back.

"Those two were major positives, they're good players and an integral part of a good team.

"We'd been organising ourselves in training and our back four had to change at the last moment with taking a hamstring injury at left back (to Stephen Jordan), and McCann had to drop in there," explained the former Sheffield Wednesday boss, who was also without Christian Kalvenes as his wife was due to give birth.

"McCann slotted in against one of their most potent players over the last few weeks and was excellent."