SOMETIMES the good guys don’t win.

While Nigel Pearson was directing insults at a journalist, even in victory, Matt Taylor was manfully fronting up to questions about the minute that may haunt Burnley for some time to come.

The last vestiges of hope are not quite lost, but the stunned silence around Turf Moor midway through the second half told its own story.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Many suspected the drama they had just witnessed could well have decided the Clarets’ season.

If anyone had the right to be in a foul mood, it was Taylor. No-one would have blamed him if he had declined interview requests and headed for home, keen to forget his penalty miss and the Leicester City goal that followed only 59 seconds later.

Already held in high regard by so many - supportive messages were coming in from fans of his former club Portsmouth on Saturday night - the 33-year-old gained even more respect for the way he graciously handled the aftermath of his spot kick misery.

That he was left dealing with one of the most painful moments of a 16-year professional career seemed almost unfair.

Taylor has handled with a season of frustration with dignity, sidelined by injury but willing to step up when needed most - even if the debate about whether Danny Ings should have taken the penalty seems set to rumble on.

Dignity is not something that Pearson has always displayed throughout a season of various controversies.

Booed before kick-off as a result of unflattering comments he made about the Clarets in October, the sight of the Leicester boss exuberantly celebrating on the Turf Moor pitch at full time was every Burnley fan’s worst nightmare going into this game.

If the celebrations were understandable, such was the importance of victory, less so was his decision to take an overseas journalist to task over a question in the post-match press conference.

Asked politely enough whether he had any advice for Burnley, who now need to produce something similar to the Foxes’ run of four straight wins if they are to stay up, Pearson’s previously diplomatic demeanour changed.

“Listen, if you’re not going to ask proper questions,” he responded.

“Forgive me for saying that’s a very naive question on your part, in fact it’s awful,” Pearson concluded indignantly, before marching out of the room, point made in rather classless fashion. This from a manager who had just won.

Perhaps Sean Dyche might not have answered the question either, but you can feel sure he would have been courteous.

Sadly, in life the good guys don’t always triumph.

Now without a goal in 479 minutes, Burnley will break their top flight club record of 565 minutes - set earlier this season - if they fail to score at West Ham at the weekend.

Leicester had their own minute of anguish two years ago, missing an injury time penalty in the Championship play-off semi finals before Watford ran down the other end to score a winner.

The Hornets, Dyche’s former club, gained promotion to the Premier League on Saturday. Dyche’s predecessor as Burnley boss, Eddie Howe, could do the same with Bournemouth tonight.

The Clarets, in contrast, are staring a return to the Championship in the face.

Banners were held up before kick-off on Saturday bearing the simple message of ‘believe’.

It is a sentiment that is being severely tested now.