AFC Telford 2 v 2 Southport

A late goal from Michael Powell force both teams back to Haig Avenue on Tuesday evening following a 2-2 draw.

Speaking to reporter Colin Hill as the teams were handed into the referee, Liam Watson confirmed that Alan Moogan and Ciaran Kilheeney were still touch and go, choosing to leave them out of this vital FA Trophy game.

Early pressure from Telford, with Liam Blakeman having an early freekick on the left sail wide of the post. Lee Vaughan looked dangerous on the right.

Having weathered the early storm, Southport took the lead as Matty McGinn’s freekick from the right went over to Kevin Lee at the back post, with the defender heading the ball home. Moments later, Port had the chance to double the lead as McGinn’s free-kick from the left was helped on by Earl Davis to Steve Daly, but Ryan Young won the race to the ball to cancel out the chance. Ashley Winn tried his luck from 25 yards as Daly pulled the ball back to him, but Southport’s lead was short lived as Danny Carey-Bertram played a low ball from the right wing into the path of Jon Adams, who swooped the ball low beyond the stranded Tony McMillan.

The game stagnated for a while as the game was dominated in the mid-field, with the next chance coming to the hosts as Carl Rodgers shot was blocked by Chris Lever, with the ball going to Jamie Vermiglio whose shot in the box was solidly blocked by Earl Davis, who got rid of the danger.

Telford controversially took the lead shortly after the half hour mark as Terry Fearns took a run into the box, and easily went to ground under pressure from Kevin Lee. Tony McMillan did well to block Danny Carey-Bertram’s penalty, but the ball fell back into the path of the striker who calmly put the ball into the net unchallenged.

Towards the end of the half, a Liam Blakeman corner went through to Carl Rodgers at the back post, who thumped the ball goal-ward, only for Tony McMillan to block the ball well.

Kevin Leadbetter was introduced into the action for the second half, and nearly came up trumps with a goal in the first ten minutes as Ashley Winn laid the ball off nicely, only for Leadbetter’s goal-ward shot to be pushed away well by Ryan Young. Kevin Lee tried a spectacular over-head kick from a corner as Southport looked to get themselves back into the game.

With the full time looming, Southport sneaked an equaliser as Matty McGinn was fouled on the edge of the box, with Kevin Leadbetter’s free-kick coming back, with the second ball into the box, where Michael Powell snatched the ball home from close range.