AC Milan held off a resilient Siena to notch their fourth consecutive league victory on Wednesday night.

Filippo Inzaghi put the home side in front in the 31st minute before Simone Vergassola levelled matters shortly after the interval.

But Kaka ensured the Rossoneri claimed all the points firing from the spot in the 65th minute after Inzaghi had been held inside the area by Daniele Portanova.

The outcome saw Carlo Ancelotti's side climb to third in the standings, one point behind joint Serie A leaders Udinese and Napoli.

Siena, who were left three points clear of the drop zone, were unlucky not to come away with something from the match as they put in a battling performance.

Ancelotti made changes to the team that narrowly beat Atalanta in Bergamo on Sunday, with Alexandre Pato and Inzaghi replacing Ronaldinho and Marco Borriello up front.

The visitors started strong and sent a warning when Cristiano Del Grosso's curled free-kick went inches wide of goalkeeper Christian Abbiati's near post.

Midway through the first half Milan should have taken the lead, when Pato's powerful header from Clarence Seedorf's corner beat goalkeeper Emanuele Manitta but rebounded off the far post.

The Rossoneri continued to surge forward and their efforts were soon rewarded.

Gennaro Gattuso served a fantastic assist to Inzaghi, who beat the off-side trap and struck a right-footed volley past Manitta.

Milan should have doubled their lead shortly after.

Pato was outnumbered three-to-one by Siena defenders on the edge of the area.

But somehow the young Brazilian striker managed to muscle his markers out of the way before firing towards the near post only for his effort to be parried away by the keeper.

At the other end, Kharja tried his luck from the distance and his stinging drive went wide of Abbiati's far post.

The visitors showed more determination after the restart and Abbiati did well to clear Lukas Jarolim's close-range header in what looked like being the Tuscans' first of the evening.

Siena continued to push forward and finally found the net in the 53rd minute.

Milan's defence failed to clear Mario Frick's cross and Vergassola took advantage, surging inside the area before firing past Abbiati to silence the crowd at the San Siro.

Stunned, the hosts reacted.

On the hour mark, Pato chested down the ball before firing wide from the edge of the area.

Shortly after, the referee pointed to the penalty spot and Kaka coolly struck towards the right post where Manitta could not reach.

But the visitors didn't give up and Abbiati had to fully stretch to clear Daniele Galloppa's effort from the distance.

Milan almost killed the game off in the 79th minute but Vergassola did well to make a goalline clearance from Gattuso's header with Manitta already beaten.

Paul Codrea could have rescued a point for Siena with four minutes remaining but his free-kick went inches wide off Abbiati's far post as Milan held on for the win.