BURNLEY manager Sean Dyche was keen to stress his side are still in a strong position to secure promotion from the Sky Bet Championship despite a 1-0 defeat at home to Middlesbrough.
Jacob Butterfield's goal early in the second half was enough to seal all three points for the visitors, who have now won four games in a row.
Burnley are still eight points clear of third-placed Derby County and need only five points from their remaining four games to ensure a return to the Premier League.
"We have four games to go and we have an eight-point lead and if someone had offered me that at the start of the season, we all would have taken it," said Dyche.
"The fans were giving the players a standing ovation when they went off, because they have just seen their side absolutely destroy someone.
"They are aware sometimes the rub of the green and decisions make a difference.
"But they've seen their side give everything and they know, as I do, that you win games with performance levels like that over time.
"We know teams can't withstand performances like that on a weekly basis - we have four big games and if we keep playing like that we know we will turn teams over."
