A late goal from Cesare Bovo was enough to see Palermo sneak past Udinese and claim their third successive victory in Serie A.

The defender struck three minutes from time to ensure the points stayed at the Stadio Renzo Barbera as Palermo climbed to fourth in the standings.

The result marked a third defeat in a row for Udinese, with coach Pasquale Marino beginning to feel the pressure.

The Bianconeri had already given a vote of confidence to Marino ahead of the match amid speculation the axe would fall with a defeat in Sicily.

The Udinese players have also come in for criticism in recent days and they looked as if they had a point to prove when Kwadwo Asamoah's sixth-minute bullet forced a fine save from Salvatore Sirigu.

But Palermo are a team brimming with confidence at present, and Edison Cavani almost scored the opener after 11 minutes when he beat two players on the edge of the box before firing narrowly over the crossbar.

Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic faced his first test of the match, punching away a dangerous free-kick from Fabrizio Miccoli.

The striker then managed to find a way past Handanovic after 18 minutes and had the ball in the back of the net but he was in an offside position.

Asamoah was also causing problems for the Palermo defence and the Ghanaian midfielder went close with another powerful strike which was deflected wide.

And Palermo were tested to the full 10 minutes before the interval when Sirigu was forced to parry Antonio Di Natale's effort away, but the Udinese captain picked up the rebound and lashed in another effort which was cleared off the line by Giulio Migliaccio.

Sirigu faced another teasing shot two minutes into the second half, pushing away a right-footed strike from Alexis Sanchez from the edge of the area.

Handanovic was also called into action at the other end of the pitch with the Udinese keeper tipping Miccoli's free-kick around the post.

Igor Budan was the next player to test the skills of Handanovic nine minutes from time with a header which was pushed over the bar.

But the visiting keeper was beaten six minutes later when Bovo's volley from a Miccoli corner found the back of the net with the help of a deflection from Asamoah.

The goal sparked a final flurry of goalmouth activity from both teams and Handanovic did well to push a drive from Miccoli over the crossbar.

And Udinese's attempts to snatch a point where stopped by the woodwork, with Di Natale striking the right post with his volley three minutes into stoppage time.