BURNLEY are starting to rediscover the belief they carried through the Championship season in the top flight.

That is the view of midfielder David Jones, despite the Clarets’ frustrating reverse to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

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Although they dominated for large parts of the game Sean Dyche’s side were beaten 2-0 by a side they will be competing for Premier League survival with.

But there have been positive signs in recent performances and Jones believes the Clarets are beginning to find the pressing game that served them so well last season as they finished second in the Championship.

“I think we’ve always tried to be a pressing team, it’s just more difficult against certain teams in the Premier League,” said the 30-year-old midfielder.

“ I think, probably what you’re seeing is the belief that as a team we showed in the Championship, that high energy play.

“Getting points on the board in recent weeks helps that.”

Before the defeat at Loftus Road Burnley had taken eight points during a four-game unbeaten run, which included their first victories in the Premier League this season against Hull City and Stoke.

Draws followed at Turf Moor against Aston Villa and Newcastle, but the run yielded twice as many points as the Clarets achieved in their first ten games.

The defeat to Harry Redknapp’s side was difficult to take though, especially with ex-Claret Charlie Austin doing to the damage, and Jones admits his teammates wanted to do better in West London.

“I felt we were the better side,” he said, “but certain key moments in the game either we didn’t take advantage of, or didn’t deal with as well, so we were disappointed.

“There were some really good chances, but we just didn’t have that end product, which was disappointing as I thought we showed good energy throughout.

“Their keeper produced a great save from Boydy as well.

“But we can’t dwell on that, there were positives, but generally, after the performance, and given they are in and around us, we wanted to do better.”

Jones is no stranger to Premier League relegation battles. He was part of the Derby County side that set the lowest points total in the league’s history in 2007/08, but he twice narrowly avoided the drop as a Wolves player, and did so again with Wigan in 2011/12.

Before Burnley’s first win of the season against Hull the former Manchester United youngster said comparisons between the Clarets and the Rams side that ended the season with just 11 points were wide of the mark.

That has been borne out in recent weeks, with Burnley already going past that points haul.

Jones said it is now vital that Burnley don’t dwell on events at Loftus Road.

“There’s belief there, a lot of energy, and we were worthy of getting something on Saturday but it wasn’t to be,” he said.

“It’s hard, but the atmosphere around the club, and what the manager instils in us, is we don’t dwell on disappointment, although initially you are after a game.”

The Clarets get the chance to show they are over that defeat on Saturday, when high-flying Southampton visit Turf Moor.

The Saints were second in the Premier League a few weeks ago but a run of just one point from four games has seen them drop to fifth.

“They’ve done really well and it will be a really tough game,” said Jones, “but at Turf Moor we’ll be looking to play our usual high-energy game and look to build on the performances and points we’ve got in recent weeks.”