Laws relieved with win

Laws: First win

Related links

Teams

• Burnley

Also see

• Burnley fixtures
• Burnley stats
• Super 6: Win £100k

Burnley manager Brian Laws admitted his relief after securing the first win of his Turf Moor reign against West Ham.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss had not led a side to victory since the end of October heading into Saturday's clash.

But goals from David Nugent and Danny Fox put the Clarets into a commanding lead before they were forced to hold off a resurgent Hammers side.

Laws said that he was simply relieved to emerge from the crucial clash with maximum points but also thought his side's performance merited the win.

"It's a great relief, we've been waiting a while for it," he told Sky Sports.

Waiting

"The players and the supporters, the football club have been waiting a while for a win. It's been a long time coming.

"We knew these were the particular games we had to pinpoint and say: 'We've got to get a result'. So there was pressure involved in that sense.

"But I thought the way we set about the game - we had good shape, passed the ball well, invented - and we got a great goal, a great start to the game."

Laws singled out debutant Fox for praise after the 23-year-old set-up Nugent's opener before curling in a brilliant free-kick to double the advantage.

He added: "We know Danny's capable of getting goals from set plays, he's showed that in the Championship, that's why he was one of the best Championship left-backs.

Terrific

"And that's why we courted him to try and get him into the football club.

"We felt that was an area we could strengthen and Danny's come in and had a terrific debut."

After starting with two away defeats in the Premier League, Laws' side ran Chelsea close last at home last Saturday before defeating West Ham.

He thinks the intimidating atmosphere at Turf Moor will give Burnley a valuable advantage in the fight for survival.

"It is difficult (for teams to come to Turf Moor) and that's what we've got to maintain," he said.

"It's not a comfortable area to be and the crowd are fantastic here and the atmosphere was electric.

"It inspires everybody. The fact that teams will be uncomfortable coming here gives us a chance to actually stay in the Premiership.

"And putting in performances like that, we've got a hell of a chance against teams who are around us."