Southampton, Burney in bore draw

Cape Town - Southampton were held to a goalless draw with Burnley in their opening game of the new Premier League season at St Mary's on Sunday.

Burnley were quickest out of the blocks with Stephen Ward picking out Chris Wood, although his header didn't have enough to beat Alex McCarthy.

Matthew Lowton was wild with an effort from a long way out following a corner.

Jack Cork had the ball in the back of the net on seven minutes but was called up for offsides as he slotted home after a Ashley Westwood throughball.

McCarthy was forced down to his right to save from Aaron Lennon after a mistake from Jannick Vestergaard and Wesley Hoedt that presented the ball to the Clarets striker.

Johann-Berg Gudmundsson hit the roof of the Southampton net from a 25-yard free-kick while Joe Hart was forced to tip a Mario Lemina header over his goal following a rare attack.

There was an improvement in the Saints' ranks towards the end of first half but while Oriol Romeu had a shot deflect off target, Vestergaard's effort from a Stuart Armstrong's corner was just over the top of Hart in the Burnley goal.

Five minutes into the second half, a superb Matt Lowton ball was well cleared by Vestergaard with Chris Wood ready to tap home.

McCarthy then did well to deny Ward although the shot was pretty much straight at the keeper, before a double substitution for Southampton as Danny Ings and Mohammed Elyounoussi replaced Armstrong and Cedric Soares.

Ings was immediately amongst the action while Westwood was forced into a brilliant clearance on his goalline from a Elyounoussi flick, off the head of Mee.

Ings pulled a decent effort just off target on 70 minutes as Hart kept out a Jack Stephens effort at the near post, while Hart again saved his side form a Lemina header flashed towards goal.

Ings headed over late on while Ashley Barnes couldn't beat McCarthy from 30 yards out and try as they might, neither side was able to effect the scoreline, with a penalty appeal waved away after Mee looked have clipped Ings for the last real piece of action of this Premier League stalemate.