With Southport playing their first league match in just under a month, getting three points at basement Nottinghamshire club Hucknall Town would have been what was needed to refresh the title charge, but the home side had different ideas as they did well to thwart Southport early on.

Following early pressure, when Southport looked like they would grab an early lead as Alan Moogan’s corner went through to Kevin Lee, where he glanced the ball over the target on his second attempt, the home side threatened to grab the lead themselves. A left wing free-kick resulted in Tony McMillan being pushed to the ground, with the ball going through to Gary Sucharewycz, who skied the ball over the bar from yards out, before a late referee whistle draw the game back for the earlier foul on the Southport keeper. Minutes later, Laurie Wilson fed a ball in from the right wing towards Gary Ricketts, but his header went straight to McMillan.

Southport’s best chance on goal fell on the half hour mark when Robbie Booth broke free from his marker, before cutting the ball inside to Alan Moogan whose shot across goal went agonisingly wide.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first where there were few chances created by both teams. Robbie Booth tried to work an opening mid way through the half as his right wing cross just failed to connect with Kilheeney as James Lindley swooped in to cut the ball out. Down at the other end, Laurie Wilson saw his header going straight to McMillan.

Southport started to turn the screws in the final five minutes, as Mark Duffy and Neil Robinson tried to create openings, but the hosts threatened to strike in stoppage time as a late corner looked like it could cause problems, but the full time whistle stopped any more progress.