Five fatal minutes saw Southport fritter away the opportunity to move to the top of the Blue Square North as league’s bottom club claimed a shock win at Haig Avenue.

Farsley Celtic came from behind in the second half to overpower the Yellows to victory.

Dave Syres cancelled out Steve Daly’s first half opener on the hour mark, before Lee Ellington added a quickfire second.

Ellington notched his second with a stunning free kick before Chris Simm grabbed a late consolation goal in injury time.

Southport manager Liam Watson was left fuming by his side’s second half display and criticised his central defence pairing of Earl Davis and Adam Flynn.

He told the Visiter: “As a pairing they came off second best against their forwards.

“I had a right pop at Flynny after the game. At the moment he is a shadow of the player he was at the back end of last season.

“He is playing like he has got slippers on.”

The defeat, Southport’s second of the season, left home supporters stunned after early pressure from the hosts pointed towards an emphatic victory.

A sharp, neat passing game saw the Sandgrounders run Farsley Celtic ragged and when Daly headed in McGinn’s inviting cross on the 20th minute, it seemed as if it would be the first of a handful of goals.

But Port sat back on their single goal lead – a decision that ultimately proved costly.
A rally cry from Celtic boss Neil Parsley at half time saw the visitors play with a renewed vigour, which Southport failed to match.

And Port’s defence – so watertight last season – gifted the visitors two goals in quick succession.

Skipper Adam Flynn could only cut out Ben Muirhead’s cross from the right to the onrunning Paul Syres, who buried a low drive past McMillan from the edge of the area.

Another defensive lapse five minutes later allowed Celtic dangerman Ellington in at the far post to prod him after Southport’s defence failed to intercept Muirhead’s cross across the box.

Farsley were in the ascendancy as shellshocked Southport failed to regroup and could have extended their lead through both Jackson and Syres, who both had goalbound attempts frantically cleared off the line.

Matty McGinn grazed the post with a low drive from range to raise hopes of a comeback but Lee Ellington soon snuffed out such thoughts with a sublime free kick from 20 yards.

Chris Simm bundled home a consolation from Matty McGinn’s deep throw with the last kick of the game.