BURNLEY’S away day blues continued on the south coast as Charlie Austin helped condemn his old club to defeat.

The Clarets must be sick of the sight of Austin, who now has four goals in three games against them in the Premier League.

Having gone behind early in the second half Burnley quickly saw the game get away from them in similar fashion to the loss at Leicester last month, when they saw a promising first 45 minutes come to nothing.

This defeat is a continuation of the Clarets struggles on the road this season - three league defeats, one goal scored, nine conceded, as well as that EFL Cup reserve at Accrington Stanley - and while on the balance of play the result was fair, it could have been a different story had Mike Dean awarded Burnley a clear penalty in the first half with the game goalless.

Instead he waved that appeal away and it turned out to be another crucial refereeing decision that has gone against the Clarets this season.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The good news before kick-off was that captain Tom Heaton was available after withdrawing from England duty a week ago with a slight calf strain, and he showed his worth to the Clarets within five minutes with a save of breathtaking brilliance.

Matt Targett’s left-wing cross was perfect for Austin to attack eight yards out and his downward header looked destined for the back of the net until Heaton dived low to his left to get an outstretched hand to the ball and somehow turn it around the post. The replay on the big screen drew gasps from the home fans.

Heaton rescued Burnley again on the half hour, staying big to deny Dusan Tadic, who had broken through on goal from a long kick from Fraser Forster.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Then came the moment of controversy. Burnley entered the international break on the wrong end of an officiating mistake against Arsenal and it looks like their luck hasn’t changed in two weeks. Johann Berg Gudmundsson burst onto the ball in the box and looked to be upended by Virgil van Dijk, only for Dean to wave the appeals away.

Heaton was in action again in the closing stages of the half, twice saving from Redmond at close range, before Austin miscued what looked like a tap in from the rebound to the second of those saves.

Austin had had sights of goal in the first half but had appeared to have his boots on the wrong way around, but he has a habit of scoring against his old club and six minutes into the second half he added to that record.

It was a scrappy goal, Tadic’s corner was headed back across by van Dijk and when it fell to Austin a yard out he needed two attempts to bundle the ball over the line.

Heaton had twice denied Redmond in the first half but the winger eventually got the better of him when he drilled home a half-volley after Steven Davis corner had landed at his feet at the back post.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Burnley were on the ropes now, and having been denied a clear penalty in the first half, they were penalised for what looked like a marginal call in the 66th minute. Sam McQueen had got the wrong side of Gudmundsson, but contact was minimal and the youngster went down late. Dean pointed to the spot though and Austin sent Heaton the wrong way.

Six minutes later the Clarets finally registered their first away goal of the season, and ironically it came from the spot. This time Dean saw Tadic block Ben Mee’s run from Michael Kightly’s corner, and Vokes sent his penalty down the middle for his second goal of the season, and the first Southampton had conceded in 612 minutes.

It turned out to be no more than a consolation, and in the end Burnley were indebted to the superb Heaton who denied Steven Davis and Jay Rodriguez from increasing the margin of victory with smart saves.

Burnley: Tom Heaton 9; Matt Lowton 6, Michael Keane 6, Ben Mee 7, Stephen Ward 6; Dean Marney 7, Steven Defour 6 (Aiden O’Neill 40); Johann Berg Gudmundsson 6 (Michael Kightly 70), Jeff Hendrick 5, George Boyd 5 (Patrick Bamford 81); Sam Vokes 7

Subs not used: Paul Robinson, Jon Flanagan, James Tarkowski, Scott Arfield

Southampton: Fraser Forster; Cuco Martina, Jose Fonte, Virgil van Dijk, Matt Targett (Sam McQueen 14); Jordy Clasie, Oriel Romeu, Steven Davis; Nathan Redmond (James Ward-Prowse 88), Dusan Tadic, Charlie Austin (Jay Rodriguez 70)

Subs not used: Alex McCarthy, Maya Yoshida, Pierre Emile-Hojberg, Shane Long