Absolute dejection covered the students like a shroud at the final whistle since, for most of the match, they were superior, and should have been comfortable winners.
But, as old heads say, one goal is rarely enough, and it was Technical's experienced Burgess, substitute Justin Flaws and box-to-box grafter Richard Smith who swung the match.
Technical coach Mike Fridge was a relieved man.
"Those three points could make all the difference in our FPL championship challenge," he said.
"Had we lost, that would have been a crippling five points deficit in recent weeks, so our team's fightback and refusal to give in was very important."
University's Luke Macris and Luiz Uehara were philosophical.
"We are improving in every game, and starting to achieve the pattern of play we want," Uehara said.
Certainly the students played as well as any team this season, exposing Technical with composed quality passing and good running off the ball that set up Micah Rose to score after 10min.
As well as the athletic prowess shown by Yannik Woutts and Rose in attack, it was the flamboyant Brazilian skills of Guilherme Melo that drew applause from both sets of supporters.
The man from Mines Gerais was a bag of tricks that Technical could not contain, wriggling past tackles and even outjumping the lofty Liam Lockhart.
If Melo had a flaw, it was poor finishing in front of goal.
If the University team had a flaw, it was dropping back to defend in depth for the closing minutes. The introduction of right winger Flaws suddenly unhinged the students, and after a decent build-up his low, driven cross was side-footed in by Burgess to equalise.
The goal put a spring in Technical's stride, and after Burgess was fouled in minute 88, he drove the resultant freekick at keeper Danniel Becheri's near post and with Tristan Prattley challenging for the ball, it flew unaided into University's net to win the match.
The goal takes Burgess's tally to 20 so far this season.
His rival on 13 goals, Darren Overton, did not score for Caversham in its 6-1 win over Green Island.
Roslyn-Wakari beat Queenstown 4-1 with Mike Cunningham scoring twice, and goals by James Govan and Sam Mepham completing a comfortable win at Ellis Park.
At Ocean Grove, Baraa Toubat scored for Grants Braes but Mosgiel replied with goals by Morgan Day (2), Steve Kibby and Jordan Swaney for a 4-1 win.
Northern's home advantage did not apply as goals by Spirit FC's Andrew Ridden and Mark Pearson registered a 2-nil win to move the Invercargill side to fifth on the table.
