STEVE Cotterill has urged Burnley to build on the crushing 4-0 win over Coventry that kick-started their season,.

The Clarets ran riot at Turf Moor on Saturday to earn their first league points of the season courtesy of goals from Garreth O'Connor, Wayne Thomas and a brace from Ade Akinbiyi.

And boss Cotterill, who will this week step up his efforts to find reinforcements, hopes that comprehensive victory can provide the boost his side have been craving.

"It's only the start and we have to make sure we take that on now, but maybe we've finally got our rewards for weeks and months of hard work," he said.

"We needed that result, make no bones about it. I needed it, my staff needed it, the players and the fans needed it and so did the chairman and his directors.

"We've worked pretty hard and not had too many rewards, so hopefully that can kick start us and we can look forward to the season now with excitement and not trepidation.

"If you lose a couple of games in football now, it seems a lot of doom and gloom sets in. But you have to try to keep everything in check and I felt the players did that and were worthy winners in the end."

Teenagers Chris McCann and Kyle Lafferty also stamped their mark on the victory, with midfielder McCann making his senior debut as an early replacement for the injured Wade Elliott and late substitute Lafferty setting up Akinbiyi's stoppage time fourth goal.

Cotterill added: "Chris came on and took the bulk of the game and when it opened up towards the end, we felt that Kyle might be able to nick a goal.

"But they are only kids and we have to be very careful with them. If I don't use them in the

next five matches I will be delighted, but in the next breath I am absolutely delighted with their efforts."

Meanwhile, a national newspaper has reported that Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock is targeting Akinbiyi. However, a Sheffield source insisted any such move was "extremely unlikely".