Southport In Next Round

Bangor City Beaten 3-0 In Cup-tie

Bangor City had a spot of bad luck for their replay Cup-tie with Southport at Haig Avenue to-day.

Owing to a misunderstanding, Johnny Williams, their left half, was not at the appointed place this morning when the bus left Bangor. The coach made the journey to Southport on the assumption that Williams was making his own way there. Actually, Williams waited in Bangor for the bus to pick him up.

By the time he realised there had been a mistake and had obtained a car it was after eleven o’clock. Manager George Richardson, of Bangor, delayed Bangor’s entry onto the field until the last possible minute in the hope that Williams would arrive in time, but as he did not his place was taken by Gaskell, with Maldwyn Evans, a Welsh international trialist, coming in at right half. There was a further Bangor change, Doonan appearing at inside right owing to Bangor’s other Evans being unable to get away from his university duties.

Southport’s only change from Saturday was the switching of their wing halves.

SOUTHPORT.—Birkett; Taylor, Reilly; Hitchen, Barratt, Hacking; Billingham, Livesey, Nuttall, Lindsay, Musgrave.

BANGOR CITY.—Anderson; Fazackerley, Boyle; Evans, Hodgson, Gaskell; Corr, Doonan, Higgins, Wyles, Powell.

Referee: Mr. K. A. Collins (Sale).

The match started two minutes late, with Bangor having only ten men on the field, Wyles, although he had been changed in good time, coming on after the start.

The teams were sure to relish the firm and dry conditions after Saturday’s battle in the mud at Bangor, but there was a very strong wind blowing straight down the pitch which would be of undoubted benefit to either side in turn.

Southport had the benefit of this at their backs in the first half, and from the first ten minutes they were undoubtedly the more aggressive side. Twice they got through with only Anderson to beat, but the Bangor goalkeeper came to the Welshmen’s rescue. His save from Nuttall, when he dived at the feet of the Southport centre forward, was a particularly courageous one.

BILLINGHAM SCORES

Bangor staged a couple of brief raids, in one of which a free kick looked ominous until it was blocked away by the wall of defenders. Then back came Southport at top speed to take the lead through BILLINGHAM at the 11th minute.

Hesitancy in defence and over-elaboration by Wyles gave Billingham his opening, but his shot with no great power behind it only curled in near the far post with Anderson just unable to reach it.

Southport came again and a long-range effort by Musgrave was safely caught by Anderson as he was harassed by Nuttall and Lindsay. Higgins and Wyles combined in one neat spell of approach work for Bangor, though without Birkett being called upon.

A first-time shot by Wyles soared over a yard or so over the Sandgrounders’ bar, and then the home side came bearing down again on the Bangor goal. Hodgson miskicked a high ball and gave Nuttall a possible chance, but before the home leader could get the ball under control Hodgson had smartly recovered to avert the danger.

ANDERSON’S SAVE

Doonan received a word of admonition from the referee after a little display of ire, but this was the only thing so far to which objection could be taken. Southport might have had another goal but for a grand save by Anderson from Livesey’s header after a miskick by Nuttall.

With the wind still a big help, Southport continued to have the better of the argument, but Bangor were fighting strongly, and good work by former Evertonians Wyles, Higgins, and Corr made them look dangerous when they got away, but unfortunately for Bangor their defensive chances to test Birkett were few. Powell made the best effort for some time.

A HIGGINS RAID

Bangor’s best raid ended up with Higgins beating his man by a neat body swerve and putting in a shot which Birkett only saved at the last second at the foot of the post. For Southport, Hacking had two long-range efforts, both caught confidently by Anderson, while a Nuttall flick of the head was just outside.

Fazackerley was prominent in the Bangor rearguard on many occasions, but Evans, called upon in an emergency, was obviously not accustomed to his duties as a wing half.

Southport would have been more than a goal to the good if they had displayed finishing power in keeping with their approach work, but a number of possible chances were lost through wild and inaccurate shooting.

Half-time.—Southport 1, Bangor City nil.

With the wind behind them Bangor took the upper hand in the early stages of the second half, but, like Southport earlier, their finishing was not outstanding.

Evans tried two quite good efforts without seriously worrying Birkett, but on the whole Bangor were keeping the ball too close, and the defenders were frequently overkicking the forwards.

FINE EVANS DRIVE

One goal was a very slender lead for Southport, and the way Bangor were playing it looked that it might be too slender for the home side. Evans, after his shaky start, had improved tremendously and put in a fierce 25-yard drive which was the best effort from either side so far. It was only inches off the mark.

Higgins also went close and then the Southport goal had a miraculous escape when Birkett saved twice in as many seconds from Powell and Doonan. He dropped full length on the latter’s shot just as it was creeping inside the post, and although harassed by four Bangor men, he bored his way out, head down, to clear.

NUTTALL NETS

As so often happens, the team that did all the pressing had the mortification of forfeiting another goal. A long clearance by Reilly was picked up by NUTTALL, who side-stepped Hodgson and then steered the ball into the Bangor goal as Anderson came out to narrow the angle.

This was a well-taken point, but decidedly against the run of play in the second half.

A melee in front of the Bangor goal saw the visitors have a very narrow escape, and the same thing happened a moment later when Evans and Hodgson each kicked away off the goal-line.

Southport’s second goal, which came at the 65th minute, seemed to have sealed the issue, for Bangor now had surrendered the initiative and Southport were playing more confidently than at any previous period.

I thought Bangor might have had a penalty when Doonan was grassed, but the visitors made no appeal. At the other end, Nuttall headed against the upright.Southport continued well on top, but Bangor put up a brave show. LIVESEY scored a third for Southport at 83 minutes when Anderson made his only mistake of the day, a centre from Musgrave slipping out of his hands.

Livesey and Anderson were hurt in this incident.

Final.—SOUTHPORT 3, BANGOR CITY nil.

Southport now visit Reading.