While Otago mustered its big attackers at the far post, Burgess hit a near-post drive that caught Manawatu keeper Andrew Bailey unawares and, despite his frantic dive, Otago went ahead after 54min.
There was drama aplenty even before the match. The paper-thin Otago squad was reduced further when Mike Eisenhut broke down in the pre-match warm-up, striker John Lang was unavailable and Croydon Wheeler was involved in a road accident that prevented him playing.
Player-coach Terry Phelan faced an uphill battle against a Manawatu side bristling with Uruguayan professionals and Fijian internationals, a side Otago had beaten only once in 11 outings.
Yet Otago lifted its game, and was unlucky not to take a lead when Phelan and Morgan Day combined to set Mike Flaws free, but keeper Bailey blocked the flying winger's shot.
A pattern emerged then of Manawatu building slowly from the back, with the two Ians, Robinson and Sandbrook, spraying passes from midfield.
But in the defensive third, Otago's high-energy approach gave strikers Gonzalo Nieres and Prince Quansah no room, as centrebacks John Chisholm and Mike Smith tackled like battering rams.
Andy Coburn and Matt Stares also added to the team spine with huge mileage and challenges that unsettled Manawatu.
In attack, young Day and Burgess lived on scraps but held the ball up, and Otago pushed forward effectively.
Manawatu's best period was just before half-time, when a series of crosses and corners for once had Otago looking ragged, but keeper Liam Little managed to clear his lines.
The second half promised a similar Manawatu onslaught, but Otago always looked dangerous on the break as Nick Dale and Jesse Malloy made penetrating runs, and referee Kevin Stoltencamp awarded the 54th-minute free kick.
Burgess opted not for the floater, and superbly hit a grasscutter that flashed in before he was smothered by celebrating team-mates.
The only threat Manawatu could muster then was to bring on giant Fijian striker Osea Vakatalesau and change tactics, opting for the long ball approach
Chisholm and Smith held firm in the middle, and keeper Little mopped up several overhit passes.
Otago finished the stronger with substitutes Andy Pickering and James Govan forcing errors in the Manawatu defence.
Manawatu coach Shane Rufer blamed his team's poor finishing and the quality of the final pass but said his players were not playing as a team, and ‘‘as coach that's my fault''.
Phelan praised the huge physical effort his team produced backed by considerable skill against some talented internationals.
‘‘If you do the hard work and don't give in, you are always in with a chance, and we made some very good scoring chances, too.
‘‘It's the best birthday present I have ever had,'' said Phelan, who turned 41 yesterday.
Otago United 1 (Aaron Burgess), Manawatu 0. Half-time 0-0.
