Southport FC match report

An early lead for the visitors with Mikey O’Neill heading the ball in after just three minutes and we continued to dominate the opening 25 minutes but completely out of the blue the home side equalised on 25 minutes with a 25 yard shot that somehow went past everyone and into the net.

Southport continued to push forward and in the 45th minute Niall Watson should have done better when clean through but somehow managed to lift the ball over the bar.

1-1 at half time

The home side started the second half on fire and deservedly took the lead on 48 minutes and dominated the first 15 minutes of the half.

Southport dug in and gradually regained the ascendancy and a great run by Mikey O’Neill who after excellent refereeing allowed the advantage to Southport and he crossed for Josh Hmami to slot home and it was 2-2.

Southport were now playing some good football and looked like the team most likely to grab a winner and so it proved when Jack Bainbridge ghosted in at the back post and finished from close range to make it 3-2.

7 Minutes of added time were played out quite comfortably and the win was celebrated by the players and the excellent travelling contingent of Southport fans.

A strange game with both sides enjoying periods of dominance but the three points were on the way back to Lancashire.

Line Up: Renshaw, Quansah, Doyle, Flowers, Evans, Morgan, Hmami(F Heath 79), Holmes, O’Neill(Bainbridge 79), Watson, Carver(Thomson 89)

Subs: McMillan

Attendance: 621

Media MOTM: Mikey O’Neill