Bitter-sweet taste for goalscorer Mee

Rare goal - Ben Mee celebrates his first goal since September 2012, and only the second senior goal of his career, against Crystal Palace

The 25-year-old, who opened his account for the club in September 2012 in a 2-2 draw versus Millwall, netted the second goal of his career in the 3-2 loss against Crystal Palace at Turf Moor.

The former Manchester City trainee nodded in at the back post from Kieran Trippier’s corner in the 12th minute to open the scoring, only for Sean Dyche’s side to go on and surrender a two-goal lead for the second time in three days.

In the aftermath, Mee conceded that he’d happily have substituted his rare strike for the points. “It was good to get the goal early doors but I’d rather be standing here with three points than a goal,” he said.

“The lads are disappointed; it would’ve been nice to get the win today but we won’t be too down about it. We’ll go again and pick ourselves up for a big game in two weeks time that we’ll be prepared for.

“I get in there and try to get my head on anything I can. I feel it’s one of my strong points. Sometimes it just falls for you nicely like it did today and luckily I made the right run, lost my marker and I saw it go over the keeper’s head which was great so it was an easy nod in.

“It’s been good because some of the deliveries have been fantastic so it was great to get my head on it.”

Mee added: “It was brilliant. I didn’t feel as though I had a great game midweek so it was nice to let a bit of frustration out by getting the goal.

“It gave me a boost but I’d rather be standing here with the points. I’ll just watch the first few seconds of it (Match of the Day) then I’ll switch it off I think.”

Mee was involved the last time the Clarets let a two-goal cushion slip in a league fixture, also against the Eagles in Eddie Howe’s final game as manager of the club in October 2012.

“We’re disappointed with it and as a defensive unit we’re disappointed with the goals we’ve conceded,” Mee said.

“It wasn’t like us because we’ve been doing very well at the back. Hopefully we’ll get this out of our system and start putting in more good performances like we have been doing.

“It’s never nice. We’re disappointed with it, especially with the manner of the goals today. It’s never nice to lose a two goal lead.”

After enduring the pace and drive of England pair Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha in recent days, Mee now faces the potential of tackling another tricky customer in Sunderland’s Adam Johnson ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light on January 31st.

“That’s what this league is about,” he said. “There’s plenty of good wingers in it. All teams play with wingers and they always test you. It’s always nice to pit your wits against these kind of players.”