Brighton's Solly March baffled and stunned at Southampton VAR penalty

March collided with Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters on 79 minutes and referee David Coote awarded a freekick outside the box.

VAR then looked at the incident for two minutes and felt contact was made in the box. The decision was over-turned and lethal striker Danny Ings fired home with ease to seal three points for the Saints.

"It is hard to take," said March. "I've looked at it five or six times and I don't know how you can prove there was contact in the box.

"I don't know how that decision was made to be honest. We collided outside the box, both fell over and slid into the box.

"It is just consistency, I don't think there is any. It is just random decisions that I don't think the people who play football would give but I don't want to say much."

Brighton were the better team in the first half and took the lead with a penalty of their own from Pascal Gross after James Ward-Prowse handled in the box.

The Saints levelled with a towering header from defender Jannick Vestergaard and then Ings' penalty moved the Saints up to fifth in the table.

"It was a tough game tonight," said Ings who came on in the second as he eases his way back from a knee injury. "You could see the fans getting behind them which is great for them but not for us.

"I just stood with the ball hoping it was a penalty. I couldn't see much on the screen, I was just professional and took the penalty.

"I didn't see it clearly enough to know. Sometimes these decisions go for you and sometimes they don't.

"To get the penalty and score - I'm extremely happy."

Southampton defender Vestergaard was pleased with their performance and relieved to get back to winning ways after blowing a 2-0 lead against Man United last week: "We knew it would be a difficult game.

"Brighton are a very good team, very organised and know what they are doing. They gave us some challenges throughout the game.

"They made it difficult for us but I still think we managed to get into the game and in the second half I thought we did very well and deservedly won.

"Mine was a good goal. Nice little moment for me personally, nice scoring. Great cross. I was pretty unmarked so it felt very smooth. We have generally become more dangerous off set pieces.

"Danny Ings is up there, one of the best strikers in the league in my opinion. I wouldn't lie, it gives us a boost just to have him around the team.

"He is a very important player for us. A talented man and a respected human being as well."