Burnley 1 Saints 1: Last-minute penalty denies Southampton

Saints were denied a vital victory at Burnley by a last-minute penalty at Turf Moor.

Nathan Redmond’s sixth goal in ten games – a 20-yarder midway through the second half – gave Saints the advantage.

But just as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side looked to go seven points clear of the relegation zone, Jack Stephens was penalised for a handball as he tried to gain leverage in an aerial challenge with Burnley debutant Peter Crouch in the final minute of injury time.

Ashley Barnes, having been controversially booked for simulation after going down in the area following a first-half challenge from Alex McCarthy, fired the equaliser past the stationary Saints keeper.

Saints made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 against Crystal Palace with Callum Slattery handed his full debut after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was ruled out with the head injury he sustained on Wednesday night.

Stuart Armstrong came in for Yan Valery with James Ward-Prowse handed the right wing-back berth.

Under-23 captain Alfie Jones was among the subs for the first time.

Burnley fielded the same starting XI that drew 2-2 at Manchester United and hosted Saints on the back of their third win in four Premier League games at Turf Moor.

Barnes headed straight at Alex McCarthy early on but former Burnley star Danny Ings had the best chance of the first half, before limping off in the 26th minute.

Ings had a wonderful chance to give Saints a fifth-minute lead in his first appearance at Turf Moor since leaving for Liverpool in 2015.

The chance was created by a wonderful, inswinging centre from left wing-back Matt Targett.

But, after taking a touch before poking a half-volley goalwards, Tom Heaton was equal to it as he rushed out to narrow the angle.

Moments later, Slattery was fortunate not be booked for a late challenge.

Ward-Prowse and Jannik Vestergaard put their bodies on the line, almost literally, in the six-yard box to keep the game goalless before Ings had to be replaced in the 27th minute.

There was sympathetic applause from the home crowd for their former favourite.

Ings had only returned to Burnley once before – as an unused sub for Liverpool – and his first game here for nearly four years ended sadly as he limped off to be replaced by Shane Long.

Armstrong fired a left-footer at Heaton but Saints were given a let-off when Oriol Romeu lost possession and Chris Wood was put through.

He cut on to his right foot as Jack Stephens slid past, only to fire over the bar from inside the area.

A left-flank cross was drilled across the Saints six-yard box and the visitors looked to have conceded a penalty when Barnes went down.

It looked like a genuine penalty following McCarthy’s challenge, but Barnes was booked for simulation.

Anthony Taylor’s decision provoked the ire of the home crowd and Burnley defender Phil Bardsley was soon booked for a poor challenge on Armstrong.

Saints were relieved to see Barnes’ volley back across goal from a stunning crossfield pass come to nothing.

Taylor was booed off at half-time and the home fans were relieved at the start of the second half when Bardsley cleared off the line after Shane Long flicked on a Targett corner.

When Ward-Prowse met another Targett centre with a header, Heaton did well to claw it away from his bottom-left corner.

Then Redmond stunned the visitors with another excellent goal to add to his growing collection.

Picking the ball up midway inside the Burnley half, Redmond ran a few yards before drilling the ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the D.

Deadline-day signing Peter Crouch came on for his Burnley debut in the 76th minute.

Chaos ensured in the Saints penalty area when Stephens’ clearance rebounded off Bednarek to Barnes, whose first-time left-footer was brilliantly saved by McCarthy.

Barnes went close again in the 83rd minute. When a free kick was headed on, he met it on the volley, crashing it against the crossbar.

Ben Mee was booked for a foul on Redmond, who was in search of a second on the counter after beating one challenge.

A perfect-timed Vestergaard challenge kept Burnley at bay until Barnes equalised from the spot in the dying seconds of injury time.

SAINTS: McCarthy, Ward-Prowse, Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard, Targett, Romeu, Slattery, Armstrong (Valery 77), Redmond (Austin 87), Ings (Long 26).

Subs: Gunn, Elyounoussi, Jones, Sims.
 
BURNLEY: Heaton, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Hendrick (Gudmundsson 58), Westwood, Cork, McNeil (Brady 81), Barnes, Wood (Crouch 76).

Subs: Hart, Gibson, Ward, Vydra.

Ref: Anthony Taylor