Soccer-Burnley keep pressure on Everton with win over Saints

By Simon Evans

BURNLEY, England (Reuters) -Burnley piled the pressure back on Everton in the Premier League relegation battle with a 2-0 win over Southampton on Thursday, moving them within a point of Frank Lampard's side.

The Clarets, who sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche last week, are in 18th place in the standings on 28 points from 32 games with Everton on 29 points from a game less.

Southampton should have taken an early lead when Oriol Romeu was left unmarked at a corner but his header was off target and Burnley were able to build themselves into control.

Welsh international Connor Roberts put the home side ahead in the 12th minute with a beautiful curling shot into the far-corner that gave Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster no chance.

Jay Rodriguez then saw a header superbly saved by Forster and Dutch forward Wout Weghorst put his follow-up header against the woodwork.

Burnley, with their Under-23 coach Mike Jackson and injured club captain Ben Mee in temporary charge of the team, were playing with a level of creativity and verve that they have struggled to find under Dyche this season.

There were more chances at both ends, with Romeu missing an almost identical chance for Southampton, before Burnley doubled their lead, a minute before the break with Nathan Collins heading in a Josh Brownhill corner.

Burnley thought they had a third when Jack Cork turned the ball in after James Tarkowski had headed a deep ball from Dwight McNeil across the area but the effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.

Nick Pope pulled off an outstanding reflex save to keep out a volley from substitute Che Adams but Burnley were never in real danger in the final minutes as they made sure of three vital points.

The Lancashire club