KEVIN BALL is hoping the Clarets can show there is no place like home in the next few games as they aim to put two disappointing Turf Moor days behind them.

Five points from three tricky away games have helped Burnley back into the top six and Ball is confident they can kick on from there.

"From the point of view of results the last two home games have been disappointing," he admitted as he reflected on defeats by Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom.

"Against Wednesday we all thought we should have won and when we equalised I thought there would be only one winner. But the injuries they got stopped our momentum.

"In the West Brom game, you have to be honest and say they are a good side. They are not a fantastic footballing side but they are very hard working."

But those defeats are very much in the past and Ball and is looking forward to a run of four home games in the next five, starting with Nottingham Forest tomorrow.

"Touch wood, we have got a good home record and these games are the ideal opportunity to get a run going again," he said.

"The fans here can play a massive part in that and the lift they give us is unbelievable. We want to give them something to shout about and have a right go, we want them to get right behind us.

"I have really enjoyed my time here, Burnley is a fantastic club and I love how passionate the supporters are. It feels the same here as it was at Sunderland."

In the continued absence of Steve Davis and following the dropping of Ian Cox at Watford, Ball has been the skipper for the last three matches. He has played the last game and a half with a broken nose after a clash at Oakwell last weekend.

"I rang my wife and she asked if she would be going to bed with the Elephant Man because I already had two black eyes," he joked. "But I am not going to complain because I believe that if you give it, you have to take it and so I just have to bite the bullet."

Ball has been a fixture in midfield in recent weeks and he said: "I'm happy the way things are going but the most important thing is what the team is doing.

"We have had three tough away games and it was nice to come away unbeaten."

Having won promotion on a number of occasions during his career Ball is well aware that a lot has still to be decided, including the top two spots.

"Man City and Wolves are top at the moment and if they can maintain their form then all credit to them," he said. "But you can never say never."

He believes that attitude will also ensure that tomorrow's opponents will think they can still make a late surge for the play-offs.

"With the play-offs, it gives teams the opportunity with a great run to get into them," he said. "Every team has some reason to keep fighting, either because they think they can make the top six or could be caught in relegation trouble."