’Port quick to recover from under par show

• Southport Visiter
• 18 Aug 2022
• BY MATTY HURST

SOUTHPORT were looking to right the wrongs from Saturday’s performance and they certainly did after 10-men Southport battled for a hard earned but well deserved 1-0 victory.

The first half started slowly and was uneventful with the only real chance coming in the 29th minute as Carberry broke through the lines and played a low ball into the centre of the box which was turned towards goal by Archer but Taylor made a comfortable save as it was straight at him.

Darlington thought they’d broken the deadlock in the 344h minute when Kaine Felix found himself free at the back post and headed in the deep cross but the goal was ruled out for offside

The game livened up after this and after a few more chances at both ends Southport found themselves in front after a corner was headed on towards the far post and was eventually turned in by Bainbridge which saw Southport go in at half time 1-0 up.

The second half carried the same spark the first finished with, chances coming at both ends but in the 54th minute Southport went down to ten men after a challenge by Tyler Walton left the referee with no choice but to bring out the red card.

Darlington looked to build pressure hut Southport had answers to everything they put forward especially through some great saves by Mason in the last few minutes.

It was a great overall team performance by Southport who will look to build on it away at Alfreton on Saturday afternoon.

Boss Liam Watson felt it was a performance his players owed to the fans after the disappointment of Saturday’s 3-0 defeat on home turf against Peterborough Sports.

“We had to put a performance in like that to show that Saturday was a blip. They are a good side, they have a very talented squad with good attacking options, experienced central defenders and they will be a tough nut to crack,” he said.

“They let themselves down on Saturday and they responded.

“When you look at the fixtures we’ve had, Boston away, Peterborough Sports and Darlington, you’re doing alright if you can get four points out of that, so to have got six…

“It was important to keep a clean sheet, show work rate, we tweaked with the shape a little bit and we looked okay.

“We had two really good chances in the first half, one on ones, but just didn’t get the ball out of our feet. We scored from a set play and had a few little bits in the second half, but I thought we contained Darlington. When we broke we looked as if we had a little bit in us as well.”

Reaction spot on as Jack sinks Quakers

• Southport Visiter
• 18 Aug 2022
• BY RICHARD PARTINGTON

SOUTHPORT shook off Saturday’s disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Peterborough Sports with an impressive midweek win against Darlington.

Jack Bainbridge fired the only goal of the game against the Quakers to make it two wins from the opening three games of the National League North season.

‘Port had to see out the last half hour with ten men after Tyler Walton’s dismissal, but did so with great maturity, their game management impressing supporters who had voiced their displeasure at the weekend’s below par showing.

“Saturday wasn’t good enough and Liam (Watson) had a word with us and told us it wasn’t good enough,” said Tuesday’s matchwinner Bainbridge. “You could tell by the fans’ reaction that it wasn’t good enough because we got booed off at half time, and it was deserved.

“But we got the reaction on Tuesday and that’s what we needed to do, it was fantastic. We’re all hard-working lads, we work together, stick together and we grind out games.

“The goal went in off my hip, it just scurried in, but I’ll take it!”

Next up for Watson’s men is a traditionally tough trip to Alfreton.

“We’ve won two out of three – Saturday was a weird performance but it’s not been a bad start, certainly much better than last year and you saw where we finished last season. It’s good, I’m happy.

“Alfreton is always a hard place to go – last season was tough because we were 2-0 up.

“They have some big lads there, but Darlington had some big lads on Tuesday and we dealt with them, so we’ve just got to there with the right attitude and see what’s what.”

Watson will be without defender Walton for the away game in Derbyshire, the home match against Telford United and the trip to Fylde on Bank Holiday Monday.

“Tyler is going to be done for violent conduct, it’s a three-match ban,” said Watson.

“No complaints to the referee – I think it was one of them where you lose control of it and you lunge. I don’t think he’s got any malice to do the lad.”