Vokes looks at plusses after killer late blow

But the Wales frontman prefers to look on the bright side after Burnley extended their unbeaten run to 15 games.

Vokes goes away with his country this week for games against Northern Ireland in Cardiff on Thursday, and Ukraine in Kiev next Monday, happy in in the knowledge that the Clarets are four points clear at the top of the Championship, ahead of their next outing a week on Saturday at promotion rivals Brighton.

Vokes, who has 14 goals for the season, and 10 in 14 games after his opener in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Wolves, said: “Obviously it was a killer blow at the end, and it hurt.

“But we mentioned bigger picture stuff in the changing room at the end.

“There were a lot of the lads disappointed at how it happened, but the last 15 results have been massive and got us to where we’re at, and it’s probably a reality check and a chance for us to work over the next two weeks and go into a big game at Brighton.

“It’s always nice to hit the back of the net, but it was a frustrating game from our point of view, we had a lot of possession and didn’t really create chances.

“Obviously to go 1-0 up was good, and we thought we would kick on from there, and I don’t think we really did that.

“Wolves came with a gameplan and played it very well, they stopped us from playing and broke on the counter attack, and looked dangerous.”

Vokes got above old Wolves teammate Danny Batth to head the opener, but Batth had the last laugh with the stoppage time equaliser: “It was a killer blow and a great header from Danny.

“They did well to get the point and it was a well-thought game. I had a good battle with Danny, and it was a good header.”

Vokes is delighted with his current form: “I feel brilliant, to be honest, it’s always good for a striker to be scoring goals, and I went on a run earlier in the year where I wasn’t doing that, so it makes it better when you do, you appreciate it more. It’s a good time to be scoring goals, and there’s a good feel about the place.

“Obviously it was frustrating against Wolves, but we’re in a good place.”

Vokes and Andre Gray now have 36 goals between them, and he added: “It’s a good return and that gives the team the base to go on and win games, so it’s our job as strikers to hit the back of the net.”

Sean Dyche felt the crowd were a touch impatient at times on Saturday, but Vokes could understand that: “I suppose there’s an expectation level that comes with the success we’ve had, we won six games on the bounce and everyone thinks we should win every game.

“I suppose we feel like that as well, which is why we’re frustrated we didn’t, but we came up against a tough Wolves side.”