Carlsberg don’t do Southport matchdays. But if they did, it
would probably go something like this.
Once the euphoria abated and normality had been restored,
the Sandgrounders will most likely have felt aggrieved by
their failure to secure a victory that would have guaranteed
Nationwide Conference football next season.
But less of what might have happened and more on what was a
fantastic occasion - because another afternoon like this
will surely confirm their survival.
As the door closes on a campaign that has produced many of
the wrong emotions for those in yellow, this was the day
when pride was resorted. The visitors at Edgar Street
outshined their opponents - and not just on the pitch.
In terms of numbers and volume, the 182 followers who
journeyed over 300 miles to provide the proverbial twelfth
man, displayed the passion and faith that would grace any
stage. During an afternoon that represented a new era on the
terraces, they cheered, chanted and beat the drum without
relenting from the first whistle until their departure.
The club’s independent supporters trust holds its official
launch this Thursday evening and if an excellent first
venture is a gauge for things to come, then the future looks
promisingly bright.
A sublime eighty-ninth minute strike from Liam Blakeman was
the least deserved by everyone who had travelled down from
the north-west. It was another tenacious, resilient and
determined performance from Southport - and although they
arrived with the primary aim of thwarting their play-off
bound opponents, the visitors themselves created the game’s
most obvious opportunities.
Having fallen behind to a seventy-sixth minute header from
substitute striker Adam Stansfield, the Sandgrounders showed
tremendous character to retrieve a deficit that threatened
to spoil their day. Manager Liam Watson threw on attacker
Mark Jackson and it soon paid dividends.
The on-loan Preston striker broke down the left having been
released by Jerome Fitzgerald, before a pull-back to
Blakeman, who composed himself and curled a glorious
twenty-yard effort into the top right hand corner.
If Watson’s side can gain a point at Grays Athletic on
Tuesday night and Forest Green Rovers fail to collect
anything from their trip to Woking, then survival at Haig
Avenue will be ensured regardless of any off-field
happenings. A season may be a marathon, but the determined
sprint with which Southport have concluded the campaign is
well worthy of seeing them cross the finishing line.
Although home advantage in the second leg of the end of
season lottery was already a certainty, Hereford United are
still to ensure they maintain second place. Despite a
promising start, however, the hosts were punctured by a
disciplined rearguard and soon became short of ideas.
With four minutes gone, Stuart Fleetwood’s low drive was
turned around the near post by a fine save from goalkeeper
Steve Dickinson after good work by Rob Purdie, before Danny
Carey-Bertram failed to find the target with a header from
Alex Jeannin’s cross.
Carey-Bertram had the ball in the net on the half-hour, only
for play to be brought back for a foul on Craig Stanley by
Gary Brabin, while shots from Fleetwood and Andy Ferrell
were harmlessly misplaced.
Although the efforts of Blakeman and Carl Baker, both
industrious in a compact midfield, failed to trouble ‘keeper
Wayne Brown, Southport came the closest to opening the
scoring three minutes before the interval.
An astute pass from Baker released Steve Daly, who jinxed
past defender Tamika Mkandawire, only for the fingertips of
Brown to send his shot trickling tantalisingly against the
base of the post.
In first-half stoppage time, defender Brabin headed wide
from a corner that was won by the endeavour of Blakeman,
while the veteran campaigner also saw his venomous free-kick
deflected the wrong side of the upright shortly after the
re-start.
Five minutes of the second period had elapsed when
top-scorer Daly worryingly hobbled off to be replaced by
Neil Robinson, but it was Hereford who benefited from a
substitution of their own. Having missed ten weeks with a
depressed cheekbone fracture, striker Stansfield was
introduced at half-time and minutes after shooting wide, he
gave the hosts the lead.
Jamie Pitman combined with Simon Travis, whose sweeping
right-wing centre was nodded past Dickinson by the former
Yeovil Town frontman from six yards with seventy-five
minutes gone. It was one of few well-constructed moves for
the hosts, who had spent a sustained period on the back
foot.
But robbed of their just reward during the reserve fixture a
month ago, Southport were not to be denied this time. After
Baker had shot wide and Robinson tested Brown, it was
Blakeman who capped a memorable afternoon with truly a
stunning strike - shifting the ball infield after Jackson’s
pass, before unleashing a precision finish that sent the
travelling support into delirium.
‘Trust in yellow’ was the message of the day. Will the faith
of the fans be repaid? Probably…
* Photos by Rob & Julia Urwin,
www.southportfcstats.co.uk and Alan Jones
(Alan Jones)
Southport.gb.com Match Facts:
Southport: (5-4-1) 1. Steve Dickinson, 2. Steve
Pickford, 6. Earl Davis, 18. Gary Brabin, 25. Mark Roberts,
3. Jerome Fitzgerald, 5. Carl Baker, 26. Chris Price (9.
Mark Jackson ’79), 17. Liam Blakeman, 21. Robbie Booth (16.
Michael Powell ’71), 11. Steve Daly (8. Neil Robinson ’49).
Unused Substitutes: 15. Jamie Speare, 4. Neil Fitzhenry.
Referee: R. Shoebridge
Attendance: 2,547
Southport.gb.com Southport Man of the Match: 17. Liam
Blakeman
Final Score: Hereford United 1, Southport 1
Possession: Hereford United 55%, Southport 45%
Shots on Target: Hereford United 2, Southport 5
Shots off Target: Hereford United 6, Southport 7
Corners: Hereford United 2, Southport 6
Fouls Committed: Hereford United 6, Southport 13
Bookings: Hereford United 1, Southport 3
Sent-Off: Hereford United 0, Southport 0
