STEVE Cotterill admits 10-man Burnley paid the price for a poor start as his side lost 3-0 at West Brom on Saturday.

The Clarets slumped to their second Championship defeat on the spin after coming away from the Hawthorns empty-handed.

The damage was done in the opening seven minutes as Jason Koumas and Nathan Ellington blasted Albion into a two-goal lead.

Despite Burnley's best efforts, they could not salvage a comeback goal and their fate was sealed when Darren Carter tapped in a third before half-time.

To add further misery, Frank Sinclair was sent off for two bookable offences, while Jon Harley picked up a foot injury.

"We started the game poorly and got caught with something that we've worked and talked about this week," said Clarets manager Cotterill.

"That's the disappointing part. In that first five minutes, when we knew where Koumas might be on the pitch, we haven't dealt with that.

"I'm not going to single anybody out because it's a team effort, but this is something that we spoke about and worked on this week and we get caught with it very early on.

"And twice we've had the ball in their half when it's changed hands. That's the disappointing part about it.

"There are a few things that we probably need to keep within our dressing room and would not wish to air.

"But I think there were certain segments of our game that I wouldn't be happy with.

"We've gone into the game with the best defensive record in the Championship and the team that has gone on to score goals. And we have done neither."

Cotterill added: "They've got good players but we are disappointed with ourselves because I felt we probably played the game with one defender who ended up going off injured, and Chris McCann and Steve Jones were excellent.

"That's not enough when you come to places like West Brom to try and win a game."

Jones and Michael Duff came close to cutting Albion's deficit before Carter struck before the interval.

But Cotterill insists many teams will struggle against the Baggies, who are tipped to earn promotion back to the Premiership this season.

Cotterill added: "For the remainder of the (first) half, we were every bit as good as them. Steve Jones looked the liveliest player on the pitch.

"Had one of those efforts go in, I think it's a lot different. And then we concede a goal at probably the second worst time possible.

"The third one just before half-time kills us and it's always going to be an uphill battle.

"There will be lots of opposition managers that come here and tell you West Brom have good players."

"Make no bones about it, West Brom have got the best collective group of players in this division by a mile.

"Sometimes, you cannot always stop that quality coming through."