Austin admits Clarets got a 'dressing down' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Austin admits Clarets got a 'dressing down'

9:44am Thursday 4th October 2012 in Sport By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

CHARLIE Austin admitted the players gave each other a dressing room dressing down after surrendering their lead three times against Sheffield Wednesday.

But the sharp shooter believes airing their frustrations in the heat of the moment will prove to be a turning point this season.

The Clarets have passed up four points in their last two home games, having been held by Millwall and the Owls in the space of four days, despite leading in the final six minutes both times.

Austin could not hide his frustration after his second hat-trick of the season counted only for a point.

But the country’s leading goalscorer revealed the players had spoken their minds at full time, and are now ready to right the wrongs, starting at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

“I’m gutted. The lads are gutted,” Austin said. “We scored three goals and we conceded three at home. It’s not good enough. But we all know that.

“We’ve talked about it. I think everyone needs a good kick.

“We need to stop these sloppy goals in-house. Something’s gone on in-house and we’re sorting it out. We’ll do that in training.

“We all know what we’ve got to do in training in the week and in the games, and that’s what we will do. We’ll put it into practice Thursday (today), Friday, Saturday. We score goals as a team, we defend as team.

“It’s not just a back four or back five, we all need to chip in and do our bit. That’s what we need to do better.

“We are all winners. We don’t go out on to the pitch to concede sloppy goals or get a point. We want to win, we want three points, we want to be at the top of the league, we want promotion.”

Austin took his tally for the season to 14 on Tuesday. However, he admitted it was difficult to celebrate keeping the match ball for the second time in five league and cup games.

“I’m deflated. We’ve gone into the lead three times and they’ve got back in through sloppy goals,” he said.

“It’s frustrating. When you score goals you’ve got to win games.

“The third goal was a good finish, don’t get me wrong, the guy’s bent it in the corner from 25 yards but he’s had time to turn.

“We need to shut up shop.

“These things happen in football but we need to stop these mistakes and we need to stop them fast.”

But Austin admitted it was not all doom and gloom in the Clarets’ camp.

“We’re only eight points off the top and three games unbeaten if you want to look at it that way,” he said.

“We’re carving teams open. I don’t think there’s been a game where we haven’t created numerous chances. We just need to shut up shop at the back a bit and we’ll be exciting going forward.

“We need to go down to Palace and get a result down there.

“We just need a win, wherever it comes from. We need it fast.”

And Austin has credited his team-mates for their assists during his goalscoring run.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’ve said all along it’s a team effort and without my team I wouldn’t be scoring these goals.”

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