A WEEK on from their stunning opening day win Burnley were brought back down to earth at Turf Moor on a frustrating afternoon for Sean Dyche’s side.

It was a day that started positively. News of Chris Wood’s impending arrival broke in the morning, with the Clarets set to break their club record for the fourth time in just over a year.

And when the action began there was much to admire on the pitch. During the first half Burnley played with a swagger at times, enjoying almost 70 per cent possession.

But if they could have picked an opponent to face to try and build on that win over Chelsea, West Brom may have been towards the bottom of the list.

The Baggies are enormously effective at what they do. They know what their strengths are and they make sure they play to them. It isn’t always pretty but it regularly works.

Only 105 days had passed between the last time these two sides had met at Turf Moor, when four second half goals were split evenly and the point all but secured Burnley’s top flight status.

In some ways not much has changed. Of the 11 Burnley players who started on Saturday only one, in Jack Cork, wasn’t at the club for that 2-2 draw. But in other ways plenty has changed and this Burnley side look a different prospect this year, perhaps personified by Cork’s arrival.

A lot has been said during the summer of the Clarets new approach to possession this season, how they were determined to add another trait to their game without completely abandoning the occasionally direct style that has also landed them success.

Saturday may have been the ultimate test of that. Burnley and West Brom were 19th and 20th respectively last year for average possession. They were both happy to see the opposition have the ball.

That doesn’t look to be the case any longer, and the Clarets were happy to knock about it on Saturday, particularly in that opening 45 minutes.

But having all that possession is only any use if it produces goals, and while chances were created it didn’t result in the opening goal that would have changed the game.

The Clarets had 20 shots without working Ben Foster, and for that they will be kicking themselves.

They had an early escape when Matt Lowton was caught in possession by James McLean in the opening minute, but his shot was blocked by James Tarkowski.

After that the Clarets started to take a stranglehold of the game. Jeff Hendrick saw an effort blocked and twice volleyed off target from distance, while Johann Berg Gudmundsson curled a shot just wide.

Sam Vokes then failed to make contact with a Robbie Brady cross from six yards after a wonderful Clarets move involving Ben Mee, Cork, Stephen Ward and Brady.

In the closing moments of the first half Mee headed Brady’s corner wide from inside the six-yard box.

Still Burnley pressed, but Vokes clipped an effort over and Brady’s free-kick from 19 yards hit the Baggies’ 10-man wall.

West Brom’s threat had so far been contained to set-pieces but substitute Hal Robson-Kanu capitalised on some weak defending after Chris Brunt’s had smashed a clearance into Burnley’s half. Matt Phillips won the header before Robson-Kanu was stronger in the tackle than Ward and Tarkowski and he fired past Tom Heaton.

He went from hero to villain when he was sent-off for an elbow on Lowton, but it didn’t change the story for Burnley.

Ashley Barnes hooked a volley over, Hendrick sent a shot on the turn over after good link-up from Defour and Lowton, Vokes headed Defour’s cross over and in the 94th minute Jon Walters planted a header over from 10 yards.

No shots on target, no goals. But signs of encouragement.