THE international break had bought much talk of starting again for Burnley, of pressing the reset button after a difficult and congested start to the campaign.

The theory was that two weeks off, focusing on resting overworked players and righting a few wrongs on the training ground, would soon have the Clarets back to their best.

It sounded plausible, but on the pitch at Molineux it appeared the rest had had little impact. This was still a Burnley side that looked a shadow of the belligerent, cohesive, aggressive and resilient unit that stormed to seventh last season.

Wolves have splashed the cash on the pitch, but it’s money spent wisely, and they far too good for the Clarets all afternoon. The only surprise was that it took them until the hour mark to break through via Raul Jimenez.

There should be no excuses for Burnley though. This was the kind of game they were finding joy in last season, but those memories are becoming increasingly distant in the early stages of this campaign.

After rediscovering the ‘rhythm’ of their work in the break, there was certainly a suggestion of back to basics when the team was announced, with Dyche reverting to 4-4-2 with Ashley Barnes and Sam Vokes in, while Johann Berg Gudmundsson was back from injury and into the side.

But Barnes and Vokes had both made way by the final quarter, unable to unsettle Wolves’ back three having been starved of service.

From the early stages Wolves had looked classy operators, with the all Portugal midfield of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho pulling the strings.

The hosts were getting joy down the right and from one short corner from that side Joe Hart did well to claw Helder Costa’s cross away as it evaded the onrushing Willy Boly.

Burnley’s goal lived a charm life in a chaotic 30 seconds on the half hour. Diogo Jota stole the ball from Phil Bardsley and chipped a cross for Jimenez to volley goalwards, which Hart did well to push away when off balance, but Jimenez’s return header looked to be heading for the net until James Tarkowski cleared.

The same combination saved the Clarets again seconds later. Hart pushed away Matt Doherty’s low cross as the wing-back burst into the box, before Tarkowski hacked Jonny’s goalbound shot clear.

Burnley almost brought about their own downfall early in the second half. Bardsley’s pass back to Hart was woefully under hit, sending Jota scampering clear. He squared for Jimenez after drawing Hart, but Bardsley managed to get back and pressure the Mexican, who fired over from 15 yards.

The dam finally broke just after the hour mark. Costa slipped in the rampaging Doherty, who had caused problems all afternoon, and his cut back was steered home first time by Jimenez, via the post.

Moments later Costa whipped a shot high and wide from a good angle, before being replaced by Adama Traore, who soon forced Hart into a save with his feet at the near post.

Having offered no threat with the side that started, Dyche introduced Matej Vydra and then Chris Wood and it was the former who had the first chance of the afternoon for the Clarets.

A deep free-kick fell to Vydra at the back post and he drilled a volley back across goal, which Jack Cork agonisingly failed to turn home from a couple of yards out.

It was a chance against the flow of the game though and Wolves looked more likely to add the second goal, with Doherty side footing wide after being played in by Jimenez before Tarkowski headed Leo Bonatini’s shot off the line.

Burnley finally managed to exert some pressure on the Wanderers defence in the final five minutes. Aaron Lennon’s run from midfield won a free-kick from Neves, which Gudmundsson whipped just over, but Ashley Westwood’s deflected cross fell invitingly for the Iceland winger on the edge of the area, but his right-footed shot dribbled through to Patricio and ended hopes of an unlikely comeback.