STEVE Cotterill challenged Burnley to string together another unbeaten run following last night's demoralising 2-0 defeat to Derby.

The Clarets slumped in front of their own fans and the Sky TV cameras courtesy of second half goals from Marcus Tudgay and Marco Reich.

And boss Cotterill instantly urged his side to wipe the first defeat in nine league games, stretching back to August 30, from the mind.

He said: It's not the end of the world and we have to bounce back now and try to get another run going.

"We've had that nine games unbeaten and we would have settled for that, but it's never nice to get beaten at home.

"I think it was just one of those nights that came from the Coventry game earlier in the week.

"You have those little patches in football and we got a bit of a warning the other night with some parts of our play.

"It came back and bit us on the backside, but that 4-5-1 is hard to play against - and don't let anyone tell you it's 4-3-3 either!

"It's so different when you play at home and you have to open up. It becomes a different game completely."

That last comment was aim squarely at Burnley's critics, who have lambasted their game plan of absorbing pressure and hitting teams on the break.

However, Burnley were hung by their own noose as County deservedly snatched all three points at a stunned Turf Moor.

Cotterill, who was happy the game went ahead despite two late pitch inspections on a sodden pitch, added: "To be fair, Derby worked hard and it ended up being a difficult game for us.

"I thought we started the game quite brightly, but some of our pass selection was wrong and all of a sudden their three players in the middle of the park started to get a stranglehold, so we needed to change and make sure we had enough bodies in there.

"We started the second half brightly and they might only have been in our half a couple of times before the crucial goal went in.

"That was a sucker punch and I thought the free kick for their first goal was nip and tuck and the referee could easily have let it go.

"But when it's the free kick, we set up well enough to deal with those things.

"For the second goal, John McGreal has made a mistake, but what can I say? He has been magnificent all season and that's all I would say."

Cotterill must now decide whether to send striker Ian Moore for a delayed knee operation that will leave him with just one senior striker on the books.

He said: "Ian was running right to the death and it makes you think about asking him to hold on for another week.

"But we have to wait and see about that one now. The games come thick and fast and it just helps if you have a few people to bring in!"