Lafferty delighted with Burnley debut

The 22-year-old has had to be patient after signing from Derry City for a fee believed to be in the region of £150,000.

But he impressed on his debut in the goal-less draw at Cardiff City, and the former Celtic man would like to think he has earned another chance to shine: “I have been here for a while so it was nice to get an opportunity and get a taste of what it’s like playing in the Championship. I really enjoyed it and I think we put on a good performance.

“I think we tried to do the right things and it was a positive result at the end of the day.

“I don’t know what the manager is thinking but I would like to think the performance today has given him some food for thought.

“Ben Mee has had the jersey and has done a great job, so I’ll just take it game by game.

“I’ll work my socks off and try to put in as good a performance as possible.

“I will be trying to get involved and get as much game time as possible before the end of the season.”

Lafferty found out he was starting the day before, and while he was thrown in at the deep end, he appreciated the opportunity to stake his claim: “It was a bit of a surprise to me to be honest.

“I played 60 minutes in the reserves in midweek.

“It was a bit of a surprise but once I found out I couldn’t wait to get playing.

“That’s why I’m here, to play in these arenas and against these kind of teams.

“It’s a challenge that I relish and enjoy.”

Boss Eddie Howe admitted he feels the arrival of Lafferty, an attacking full back similar to Kieran Trippier on the other side, gives the side “another dimension”, and the Irishman said: “We’re very attack-minded and I think it worked pretty well.

“We moved the ball out from the back, and the manager likes his fullbacks to get forward, and I think that’s key in the modern game.

“I didn’t get forward as much as I would like to, but it was good to get 90 minutes under my belt.

“To come away from here with a clean sheet and a point we have to pleased with that, and from our performance a point was nothing more than we deserved.

“We tried to do the right things and it was a positive result.

“We have had only one point from the last four games so it was important not to lose and to come away with a point and a good team performance was very pleasing.”

A clean sheet on his debut was a big positive, against a side in thick of the play-off chase: “As much as we try to play football we try to do the right things at the back.

“That’s something we’ve been lacking in the last two weeks but I thought we were solid.

“I don’t think the centre halves were troubled that much; they seemed pretty comfortable.

“When you come here against a big crowd and a hostile crowd, to come away with a clean sheet it’s a good achievement.

“In the four games before we only got a point.

“But the performance was more pleasing than the point.”

And he looked ahead to the run in: “There are a lot of games now and they are coming thick and fast.

“There are a lot of midweek games and Saturday games.

“We have to just try to take as many points as we can between now and the end of the season and see where it takes us and see where we end up.

“The manager now is really emphasising the style of play he wants, so I think it’s also a bit of a learning curve between now and the end of the season as well, to try to emulate the kind of performances like Sunday at home.

“We want to play like that on a weekly basis and try to pick up as many points as possible.”