THE script was written.

In desperate need of a goal and a win in their battle to beat the drop, a 59th-minute penalty offered Burnley a beacon of hope.

There might have been surprise among supporters to see Matt Taylor take the ball and place it on the spot, with Danny Ings in close proximity.

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But days after recounting how he scored back-to-back spot kicks for Portsmouth to keep them up in 2006, the fit-again midfielder looked every inch the man for the job.

Taylor did not want his first Premier League relegation on his CV in his 12th season, and said confidently in the build-up to this bottom three battle that he did not expect it.

There was to be a cruel twist in the tale, though.

Taylor hit the outside of the post and sank to his knees.

From there Leicester went up to the other end to score the goal which saw them earn a fourth win on the spin, climb out of the bottom three and keep Burnley at the foot of the pile.

Whether it ultimately condemns them to a return to the Championship will be determined at some point in the next four games.

But this game was gone in 59 seconds.

While Taylor took responsibility for the penalty, he should not shoulder the blame for the miss.

Not only did he have the courage to put himself forward in the first place, he had the guts to front up to the media in the aftermath. Not many would.

Asked if he had ever been involved in such a crucial 60 seconds, the experienced former Bolton and West Ham midfielder said: “Probably many times, but none that have meant so much at this stage of the season.

“It takes a second to score a goal and unfortunately we were on the wrong end of it.

“That’s football and it changes so quickly. In football the highs are fantastic but the lows are very low as well.”

If the worst happens, the outcome of this game will be a big factor but not the deciding one.

There was also Scott Arfield’s missed penalty at Crystal Palace in September, a game which ended 0-0; the points dropped from leading 2-0 at home to both Palace and West Brom in January; the absence of January transfer activity.

But that inquest is for another day, while Burnley live to fight another.

Sean Dyche’s men are not written off yet and with four games to go, two of them against relegation rivals Hull City and Aston Villa, their fight will carry on. The manager will ensure that.

What must end is another alarmingly barren run in front of goal.

The Clarets, who halted their first drought of six games in league and cup against Leicester in October, had no better chance of scoring their first in five against the same opponents on Saturday.

Danny Ings turned Robert Huth inside and out to fashion a shot that Kasper Schmeichel saved. The rebound dropped for Paul Konchesky, but Taylor made up ground with a dart from outside of the box to nick the ball off the left wing back, only to be brought down.

Referee Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Similarly, Taylor was equally determined in going for the ball.

There have now been three penalty takers this season. Ings, who alternated with Sam Vokes last term, was the last to score from the spot, securing a 1-1 home draw with Villa in November.

There might have been more debate about the taker for this one but Vokes was absent with a thigh injury, which led to Lukas Jutkiewicz’s first start in six months.

Taylor shook on it with Ings, who has been locked on nine goals since scoring a consolation against Manchester United nine games ago.

Taylor - starting his first game for eight months after an Achilles injury - had been denied by Schmeichel with the best chance of a tight, hard fought, goalless first half. Michael Duff headed on Kieran Trippier’s far post corner, the midfielder hooked it on from close range but Schmeichel made himself big to block.

The keeper went the wrong way at the end of Taylor’s long run-up for the penalty. But so too did Taylor’s standing leg, his right foot slipping at the point of contact and his firm, low hit struck the wrong side of the right hand post.

Leicester took advantage of the Turf Moor malaise to launch a rare second half attack. Danny Drinkwater beat Ben Mee to a header, Marc Albrighton delivered a cross that Tom Heaton looked to have covered, but Michael Duff stretched out a leg with the intention to turn it behind.

Instead, the ball bounced off his calf, wrong-footing Heaton, who managed to scramble back to save. Jamie Vardy was there to turn it in.

Mee almost capitalised on a similarly wicked deflection as the Clarets hunted the equaliser, but on the day Turf Moor celebrated the ‘Best of Burnley’, Schmeichel was at his best to save it.

Leicester have propelled themselves above the parapet with four wins on the spin.

They have proved it can be done.

But with only four games left for Burnley, it is looking an increasingly formidable task.