TOP of the league Southport sent out a stunning statement of intent to their Blue Square North promotion rivals after putting five past second placed Eastwood Town.

Goals from Michael Powell, Alan Moogan and Steve Daly, plus two own goals in two minutes, yielded the Sandgrounders biggest win in two years.

Both sides ended this fiesty encounter with ten men as tensions boiled over in a action-packed second half.

Newly-promoted Eastwood arrived at Haig Avenue hopeful of overtaking Port at the summit of the league.

But with just five minutes on the clock, Michael Powell took full advantage of shaky defending to prod home the opening goal from close range after Matty McGinn played a neat ball across the face of goal.

Eastwood rallied, however, and Southport had keeper Tony McMillan to thank for two world-class saves that ultimately changed the complexion of the match.

First, the former Burscough stopper had to race from his line to block at the feet of Knox, who raced at goal after beating the offside trap.

And soon after McMillan saved Hume’s point blank header with his outstreched leg on the goalline.

They were to prove invaluable saves as Port went on the rampage after half time.

McGinn’s free kick five minutes into the second half was headed into his own goal by lanky centre half McAughtrie, before seconds later James Turner inadvertently deflected Winn’s pass past his namesake between the Eastwood sticks.

A further twist unravelled as play restarted with Winn dismissed for collecting the second of two soft yellow cards.

But Port failed to be unnerved and contained pressure well, launching counter attacks on the break.

And the teams were again equal in number when 25-year old referee showed a straight red to full back Turner for a studs-up lunge on substitute Steve Daly, as he attempted to skip past the last man.

Alan Moogan scored his first goal for the club on 78 minutes to make it four, capping a fine interchange between Booth and McGinn with a low, angled drive from the edge of the area.

Emike Nwadike scuffed Port’s hoped of a clean sheet with one minute of normal time remaining, bundling in Meikle’s cross having got goal side of Davis.

But Port were not yet done – with Steve Daly, culpable of squandering a gilt-edged tap in earlier in the game, firing a powerful shot past Turner after a smart cross from Robbie Booth.