Morecambe 0 - 0 Southport FC by

STANDING ORDER FOR GOALDEN LOTTERY

Morecambe 0 - 0 Southport FC
by Alan Jones Southport.gb.com

and Ron Ellis

Southport began the year by doing something reckless – they gave their supporters hope.

The Sandgrounders’ goal drought continues, but for the first time since Kevin Leadbetter scored against Woking on November 5, the Haig Avenue hardcore have something to meaningfully shout about.

On an afternoon during which half of the Nationwide Conference contested stalemates, Liam Watson’s men ensured they were not among the odd ones out, but today was about a lot more than merely claiming their sixteenth point of the campaign. Seven days after being humiliated in their own back garden, Southport became the first side since September to prevent Morecambe from scoring at home.

Morecambe's Christie Park

In producing their second successive lockout on the road, the Sandgrounders registered a display of great discipline; showing they possess an ability to dig deep and hang on, as well as engineering an audacious seven goal attempts themselves. Had it not been for some pitiful finishing or the customary heroics from ‘Port goalkeeper Steve Dickinson, then Morecambe would have got their just deserts - but the fact that the Shrimps found it an actual challenge break down their obstinate neighbours was solace to warm travelling hearts.

Unrelentingly vocal throughout, Southport’s superb throng of support chanted the name of manager Watson as the players entered and exited the Christie Park arena and were suitably comforted by what they saw. With the ‘Port boss having targeted five January recruits, it is now hoped that Watson can acquire the craft to accompany the graft of today’s performance in time for the visit of Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday.

For the first time during his two and a half year tenure, the Southport manager selected a five-man defence and although such a formation sacrificed offensive width, it admirably frustrated Morecambe from the outset. On the final afternoon of his one month loan from Crewe Alexandra, youngster Mark Roberts recorded another outstanding performance at the heart of the visitors’ back-line, as did Earl Davis - but the focal-point of Southport’s rearguard performance was Chris Brass. Brass, who has largely flattered to deceive since his temporary switch from York City, was deployed as a sweeper and commendably fronted an efficient unit with vocal leadership and a tenacious individual showing.

During his first start since November 15, left-sided defender Matthew McGinn also performed with much gusto, while skipper Steve Pickford operated Southport’s engine room to good effect. Although a respectable away point will hopefully be the platform on which to mount a climb off the bottom of the Conference, the Sandgrounders mustered several opportunities of their own and had they possessed greater confidence in front of goal, could well have snatched a winner, albeit undeservedly.

While Danny Carlton, Wayne Curtis and Garry Thompson tired their luck for Morecambe shortly after the delayed start, the hosts were mainly limited to long range pot-shots. Kick-off was delayed thirty minutes due to the safety threat posed by Christie Park’s defective tannoy system, but once proceedings commenced, Southport executed the pre-match plans laid out by player-coach Brass relatively tidily. The back-line smothered the threat of Messrs Carlton and Twiss although a low effort from Ged Brannan was blocked at point-blank range by the body of goalkeeper Dickinson, ‘Port survived the initial exchanges with relatively few wobbles.

And after thwarting their hosts for twenty-minutes, the Sandgrounders devised a ten-minute period of evolving pressure out of which rose three inviting opportunities. Neil Robinson failed to capitalise upon a miscued clearance from Seven Drench, heading into the arms of Morecambe’s recovering goalkeeper after inadvertently receiving the ball.

Robinson should also have fared better soon after, as he failed to make proper contact with Mark Roberts’ lofted pass into the danger zone with men committed forward for following a free-kick. And after neat approach play down the right, Captain Pickford lashed a shot glaringly wide of the upright once he had broken forcefully from midfield.

Shrimps’ frontman Michael Twiss almost landed a killer blow in first-half stoppage-time, but flashed narrowly across the face of goal, while the former Manchester United trainee had a front-post header denied by Dickinson on fifty-five minutes after meeting Carlton’s corner full-on.

The Southport stopper was also on hand to tip over Jimmy Kelly’s scorching thirty-yard free-kick, before foiling Curtis, who later headed over. But despite enjoying large chunks of play, the side who were rampantly victorious at Haig Avenue on Boxing Day struggled to answer the cunning questions posed by their less illustrious visitors and soon vanished as a potent force.

Twiss ballooned over when positioned to do much better, but it was the Sandgrounders who were left to rue late misses. After the ineffectual Lane twice wasted opportunities to deliver a cross, Steve Pickford spurned a superb opportunity with five minutes remaining – lacking the composure to test Drench when through on goal, being ably pressured by defender Bentley.

With Southport now half way through their Conference campaign, a demanding four months lie in prospect. There remains an incredibly long way to go in the scramble for survival, but 2006 seems a much more promising prospect after the first instalment of the New Year.

Southport.gb.com Match Facts:

Southport: (5-3-2) 1. Steve Dickinson, 19. Chris Lane, 6. Earl Davis, 25. Mark Roberts, 27. Chris Brass, 20. Matthew McGinn, 2. Steve Pickford, 16. Michael Powell, 5. Carl Baker, 8. Neil Robinson (7. Kevin Leadbetter ’69), 11. Steve Daly (3. Jerome Fitzgerald ’90).
Unused Substitutes: 15. Jamie Speare, 4. Neil Fitzhenry, 9. Nick Rogan.

Referee: K. Evans

Attendance: 2,788

Southport.gb.com Southport Man of the Match: 27. Chris Brass

Final Score: Morecambe 0, Southport 0
Possession: Morecambe 54%, Southport 46%
Shots on Target: Morecambe 6, Southport 3
Shots off Target: Morecambe 11, Southport 5
Corners: Morecambe 8, Southport 0
Fouls Committed: Morecambe 18, Southport 18
Bookings: Morecambe 1, Southport 1
Sent-Off: Morecambe 0, Southport 0

SOUTHPORT 0 MORECAMBE 3 by RON ELLIS

After suffering a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Morecambe at Haig Avenue on Boxing Day, Liam Watson re-shaped his team and took a well-deserved point from the return fixture at Christie Park on Tuesday.

On home ground, The Sandgrounders had no answer to Morecambe’s speed and guile and, once again, only the magnificence of Steve Dickinson kept the score down to a respectable level, suggesting he could easily be performing at a much higher level.

After a quarter of an hour, a slip by Mark Roberts let in Danny Carlton but his shot hit the post when it looked easier to score. Carlton then provided a cross for Wayne Curtis to let fly but Dickinson rose brilliantly to tip the ball over the bar.

As The Shrimps attacked relentlessly, the only surprise was that the first goal took so long in coming but, in the 32^nd minute, Ged Brannan’s header from Carlton’s cross gave Dickinson no chance from three yards out and a deflection wrong-footed the keeper on the hour when Garry Thompson’s low shot from 20 yards out made it 2-0.

Southport had just two on-target attempts in the match, Drench saving from Steve Daly and Nick Rogan in the 73^rd and 75^th minutes.

Michael Twiss, Curtis and Carlton all had shots saved by Dickinson before Thompson, whose pace had bamboozled the home defence throughout the afternoon, hit a low cross which Roberts, in trying to clear, turned into his own net with just two minutes on the clock. For Southport, the final whistle could not come soon enough.

For Tuesday’s match, Liam Watson altered the system, playing a five man defence with Chris Brass in his favoured natural position as sweeper in a 5-3-2 formation with Daly and Robinson up front. And it worked perfectly.

Brass, who had previously had an uninspiring start to his Southport career playing as a full-back, was magnificent as he marshalled his defence and directed the play on the pitch.

After a half hour delay caused by a failure of the P.A. system, Morecambe started where they left off a week ago, going for goal, Carlton racing Dickinson to the ball but slicing it wide.

This time, however, Morecambe were not having things their own way and a Daly header from Sid Pickford’’s pass clipped the post as Southport played with a new spirit and determination.

Pickford shot over in the 40^th minute after good work on the wing by Carl Baker then Curtis had a 25 yard shot saved by Dickinson as play switched from end to end.

Morecambe piled on the pressure in the second half with Jimmy Kelly, Jim Bentley and Michael Twiss all denied by Dickinson but Twiss was guilty of the miss of the match in the 66^th minute when with only the keeper to beat he ballooned over Carlton’s inch-perfect pass from just six yards out.

Bentley twice came close for Morecambe on the hour and Carlton headed narrowly wide from a Thompson cross before Pickford had his side’s best chance, ten minutes from time, when he cleverly turned a defender only to shoot wide of the post.

Substitute Kevin Leadbetter volleyed a ferocious shot into the net six minutes from time but the whistle had already blown for a foul.

All the Port players deserved praise for their efforts with Roberts, McGinn, Pickford, Davis, Daly and Powell particularly standing out. With the transfer window now open, Liam Watson has the opportunity to add some quality to the squad, hopefully in time for Saturday’s home match against struggling Dagenham and Redbridge.

The season is not over by a long way.