Defensive errors and missed chances cost Burnley dear in a 5-3 defeat at West Ham on Saturday, just as it seemed the side were beginning to evolve and look at home in the top flight.

The strapping centre back believes the squad have the propensity to take the lessons on board, however, starting at Portsmouth on Saturday.
The Clarets have the worst away record in the Premier League, but, paradoxically, only Chelsea and Manchester United have taken more points at home.

Carlisle feels the results on the road will come, but the errors have to be cut out: "We've shown we can play away from home, it's just there were individual and collective defensive errors that have cost us dearly, and we can't afford to do that.

"But at the times that the goals were scored, we weren't under severe pressure or anything like that, the majority of the goals were scored on the counter attack.

"We need to tune into the dangers when we're in possession and not just out of possession.

"The disappointing thing is that you come in at half-time 3-0 down and you don't believe you should be.

"It's quite easy to ask for sympathy from all quarters, saying we played well – it's not good enough. You can't afford to give teams a three-goal start every week and produce results.

"We need to go away and analyse the game and grow and learn collectively as a team.

"I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining game for any neutral that was watching and I don't think there was any period in the game where one team outshone the other in terms of possession or chances created, or how the game ebbed and flowed.

"But it's vital in this division that when you're creating chances that you take the vast percentage of them, otherwise you live to regret it.

"We scored three fantastic goals, we could have had a hatful more, but defensively as individuals and collectively we need to be sharper, we need to sense danger and do our job more efficiently."

Carlisle, who was himself denied the opening goal when Scott Parker blocked his header on the line, feels the side can take the spirit of their second half performance into a big game at Fratton Park.

The Clarets were 3-0 down at half-time, and 5-0 down shortly after the break, but rallied to score three goals.

Burnley were the comeback kings in the Championship last season, picking up 25 points from losing positions, but Carlisle knows they can't afford to keep going behind – contrary to their home form where they have taken the lead in all seven games: "You can always take from a game like Saturday that even when we're behind we can get ourselves back into games.

"But we knew that last season. I think we topped the league for comeback points – we know that we have that within our squad.

"But in the Premier League you can't give yourself that task every week.

"More often than not it's going to be very difficult to get yourself back in the game, so we need to make sure that we're on top of games and we take our chances when they come.

"But we can take the spirit into Portsmouth, definitely. We finished the game on a high, scored three goals away from home and if that happens again we would definitely expect to get something out of the game."

One major plus point at Upton Park was the performance of Chris Eagles, who was positive throughout and got his rewards, crafting two goals for Steven Fletcher, and claiming one for himself, and Carlisle, who also played with the talented wideman at Watford, said: "Chris was excellent; he showed the energy and the quality that we all know he has, and he has it in abundance.

"The gaffer left him out of the side for a long period, but he's worked hard in training every day, he's had his chance and he's taken it, and I don't expect any less for him every week."