SOUTHAMPTON manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was phlegmatic about his side conceding late on and refused to be critical of the decision to award Burnley a penalty after the 1-1 Turf Moor draw.

The Clarets secured a point when Ashley Barnes netted a stoppage time spot kick after Jack Stephens handled.

Barnes and Burnley felt they should have had a penalty in the first half when the striker was brought down by Saints stopper Alex McCarthy.

Referee Anthony Taylor disagreed and booked Barnes for diving, much to the disgust of the Turf striker and the home crowd.

But Hasenhuttl, whose side opened the scoring early in the second period through Nathan Redmond, said: "I don't want to discuss the decisions of the referee because he made a good job. It's not easy to lead such a game like this which was a high-intensity game.

"We didn't want to discuss any decisions the referee made and so we don't do any discussions about the penalty. They got one in overtime, that's football.

"Things happen in football. The hand was a little bit high and (Peter) Crouch is very clever, he maybe had the header on his high hand and the referee gave this penalty."

Despite the late equaliser, Southampton, like Burnley, extended their unbeaten start in the Premier League in 2019 - although they lost Danny Ings to a hamstring injury in the first half at Turf Moor.

Hasenhuttl is hopeful the former Burnley striker will be back sooner rather than later as he reflected on another satisfying display from his side.

Hasenhuttl added: "I think this 1-1 is not an unfair result for both sides. I think we showed it's not so easy to beat us at this moment.

“Surely they are not happy because we were very close to a very big win against a tight opponent.

“It’s an amazing battle we have had here today and I think in both halves we started very well, controlling the game and putting pressure on the opponent and had really good chances to score.

“Finally Redmond did, it was a fantastic goal and it was clear that in the end at 1-0 then the game is always alive for Burnley. They try anything to come back and in the last situation the penalty is a pity.

“You have to say that they also had a few chances before that so we have to take this point whether it is fair or not. Both sides had chances to score so it had been a big step, it was only a small one in the end but an important step."