SEAN Dyche admitted Burnley were beaten by the better side as a Harry Kane-inspired Tottenham handed the Clarets a fifth league defeat of the season.

Spurs won 3-0 at Turf Moor to move back up to sixth in the Premier League and ahead of the Clarets. There was controversy around the opener, a penalty converted by Kane but won by Dele Alli, who had gone down under a challenge from Kevin Long.

Alli had already only been booked for a late tackle on Charlie Taylor, but Dyche refused to be too critical of either Alli or referee Michael Oliver.

“I don’t think there’s too much frustration, there’s frustration in some decisions, but not decisions that would necessarily change the event, only a sending off, because they were excellent," the Clarets chief said.

“Simple as that, they were the better side.

“(The yelllow card) is a tough one, some of the referees talk about an orange card where it’s so awkward they’re in debate about it, and it’s probably one of them.

“It’s a poor challenge in that he’s never going to get the ball. In bygone years it’s just a yellow and we get on with it.

“Now, we’re talking about whether you’re in control when you challenge, so it’s a tough decision for the referee.

“I don’t want red cards if we can help it, but that’s an orange. If that’s 60 minutes in, is it ‘that’s got to go?”, or because it’s early ‘they’re getting used to it.’

“The penalty is a tough one as well. Kevin Long is learning at this level and doesn’t need to make the challenge, but he gets a toe on it, he’s going down and then the contact comes.

“That’s the only frustration, but clever players will make the most of it, and it’s more gamesmanship then.

“I don’t think it’s blatant, but he’s on his way.”

Dyche was most disappointed in the failure to award Ashley Barnes a penalty when he was impeded late on, while Sam Vokes also had a goal disallowed for a foul on Hugo Lloris when Burnley were 3-0 down.

“I think the amazing one is Ashley Barnes, it’s impossible he doesn’t get a penalty," Dyche said. "Their defender is the wrong side, jumps across him, elbows him in the face and nearly scores an own goal. It’s a penalty.

“It would have been incidental, 3-0 down, but you still want those decisions.

“Vokesy’s is another one, I can’t see a lot wrong with it. If that was a centre forward winning a header against a centre half 30 yards out, I bet he doesn’t give a foul. But he gives it on the keeper.

“They are closer decisions, but I think Kane was absolutely top class. They’re a good side, but he makes them even better. He’s one of the best forwards certainly in Europe.”