Southport 3 v 0 Solihull Moors

Southport eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory, to maintain their lead at the top of the Blue Square North. Liam Watson commented that it was a professional performance from his side, in conditions that were not construsive to attractive football.

In blustery conditions, both sides took their time in adjusting to the conditions, with Southport shooting into the wind towards the Jack Carr stand.

The first chance to open the scoring came from a Matty McGinn free-kick which went through a crowd of players, with Daniel Crane reading and holding the ball well as James Connolly came sliding in to try and prod the ball into the net.

The first chance for the visitors fell on 25 minutes as Theo Streete as he shot through a crowd of players from the edge of the area, but Tony McMillan saw the danger, pouncing cleanly onto the ball.

With the interval looming, Southport finally broke the deadlock as Mark Duffy did well getting the ball to the bye-line, where he crossed the ball high over the keeper where Ciaran Kilheeney jumped high to head the ball back into the net, with the keeper well-beaten.

With the wind, and then the driving rain at their backs, Southport looked to increase their lead early in the second half as Neil Robinson flicked a ball cleverly through to Matty McGinn, whose cross across the box went towards the advancing Kilheeney who was just unable to connect with Phil Midworth clearing for a corner.

The chances continued to come for Southport, with Neil Robinson coming close himself a few minutes later, and Adam Flynn striking his 20 yard shot straight to a relieved Daniel Crane.

Southport continued to press, with a succession of chances being denied around the hour mark. Neil Robinson had his header cleared off the line from a corner, with the following scramble seeing Robinson and Kilheeney having their close range shot steered away by a panicked Solihull defence.

The goal finally came moments later as Michael Powell was brought down right on the edge of the box, with Alan Moogan striking the ball low through the crowded box into the bottom left corner of Crane’s goal, with the keeper being a mere spectator.

Steve Daly was introduced into the action, and managed to score with his first touch of the ball as Mark Duffy free kick from the edge of the centre circle went low into the box, where Daly back-heeled the ball into the back of the net.

Southport’s dominance was nearly rewarded with a fourth goal in the last few minutes as Tony Gray worked space for himself inside the Moors box from a free-kick, only to see his final shot hit the post, with the ball going away for a goal-kick. Moments later, Steve Daly had a low shot saved well by the feet of the advancing Daniel Crane. Alan Moogan wanted to add to his tally as his stoppage time strike just skimmed wide of the target from a free-kick.