sport

Burgess on the spot for Seasiders

Burgess (r): Netted winner

The two sides looked to be going in goalless at the break until Jamie White clumsily brought down Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Burgess sent Kelvin Davis the wrong way with the penalty.

Blackpool had three goals disallowed in the second half and Burgess saw a shot tipped onto the post before Southampton's David McGoldrick hit the bar late on.

Blackpool started well and had the first chance when Shaun Barker's long throw was met by the onrushing Ian Evatt, but he headed wide.

Minutes later Steve Kabba was played through but Andrew Surman made a superb covering tackle before Adam Hammill crossed for an unmarked Taylor-Fletcher at the far post but he trod on the ball as the visitors let another chance go begging.

Southampton came roaring back and Holmes' cross from the left was parried by Paul Rachubka into the path of Lloyd James, whose shot was blocked on the line by Rob Edwards.

The visitors were grateful to Evatt for blocking Adam Lallana's shot on the line before breaking down the other end where Taylor-Fletcher latched onto Burgess' flick-on only to see his shot superbly saved at the near post by Davis.

Southampton looked lively going forward and Blackpool failed to close down Simon Gillett whose shot from the edge of the box was saved by Rachubka.

Five minutes before the break Burgess gave the ball away to McGoldrick and he got past Mohammed Camara before unleashing a powerful drive that was superbly tipped over by Rachubka.

On the stroke of half-time Hammill's corner fell to Taylor-Fletcher and his jinking run forced White into a clumsy challenge which Burgess punished from the spot.

White's misery was compounded when he was replaced at half-time by Nathan Dyer as Jan Poortvliet looked to give his side more attacking power.

However, it was Blackpool who began the second half better and they had the ball in the net two minutes after the break only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on Davis.

The visitors continued to press and Hammill fired wide before Evatt headed over the bar.

Southampton gradually found their rhythm and the lively Dyer drove into the box before sending a shot over.

Just after the hour mark Barker's header from Hammill's corner was turned in by Kabba but the Blackpool striker was rightly ruled offside.

Poortvliet brought on Stern John and Paul Wotton in a bid to get back into the game but still the visitors dominated.

With 20 minutes remaining Blackpool had a goal disallowed for the third time when substitute David Vaughan deflected the ball in from an offside position.

Simon Grayson's side continued to push for a second goal and Burgess turned Michael Svensson before his shot was turned onto the post by another excellent save from Davis.

In injury time Dyer played in McGoldrick but his shot cannoned agonisingly off the crossbar as Blackpool held on for the points.