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SOUTHPORT 1 GRAYS ATHLETIC 4
Report from Alan Jones
southport.gb.com Followed by Ron Ellis CHAMPION Newspapers
Money may not buy you love, to
judge by a muted clutch of travelling Grays Athletic
supporters, but it can certainly deliver success.
With the scarcity of numbers on Haig Avenue’s Blowick End,
an eerily subdued mood from those who did make the trip and
their seeming discontentment with chief benefactor Mick
Woodward, one could be forgiven for thinking that the Essex
side were finding it difficult to adapt to live in the
Nationwide Conference. Far from it.
The substantial cash contribution from Woodward, a local
self-made multi-millionaire, obviously provides the
foundations for potential glory, but to assume the Blues’
startling inauguration to their first season in the
top-flight of the non-league pyramid is solely a result of
financial injections would be gravely naïve.
Forget any off-field issues, because on the on the pitch
Grays are foolproof. Manager Mark Stimson has a machine
oiled with exact precision, brimming with confidence, oozing
class and able to produce patches of the purest purple.
Preceded by several uplifting performances, Southport boss
Liam Watson suggested in midweek that his side were ‘capable
of springing a surprise’ against the league leaders. But at
the end of an afternoon when Grays equaled Kettering Town’s
record of a fifteen match unbeaten start to a Conference
season, those comments are probably best described as
wishful thinking.
Despite clearly perturbing their high-flying visitors for a
ten minute period mid-way through the second period, the
Sandgrounders were simply there to make up the numbers.
Debutant Nick Rogan, introduced immediately after the
interval, finished a well-worked move on the hour to halve
the deficit of a side that struggled to cohere and largely
failed to contest a one-sided encounter.
Comprising several individual star performers of sheer
class, Grays displayed a ruthless efficiency without hitting
top gear. The power and pace displayed by Aaron McLean was
stupendous, John Martin’s canny brain exceed anticipation
and the potent threat provided by Jamie Slabber tormented
his opponents. Collectively, they combined to an overawing
affect and despite wavering briefly after their opponents
had scored, Athletic retained the upper hand throughout a
potentially tricky fixture.
If Grays’ ambition of an unprecedented rise to the Football
League is to be achieved, then preserving their impressive
run of form is fundamental. Alternatively for Southport,
their overriding aim of survival in the Nationwide
Conference will not ultimately be decided against a side
destined to reach new rights. Any surprises sprung on the
top teams should be in addition to fundamental points
necessitated against teams within nearer vicinity.
Last week, a forceful showing in the concluding half hour
was enough to edge the Sandgrounders past Kidderminster
Harriers in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup. But
this time, amassing just one shot on target, a similarly
sluggish start to proceedings proved unfixable. Playing with
a peculiar hesitation, the hosts were reluctant to attack,
struggled to dovetail and recklessly frustrated themselves
as they appeared to play in fear of their nouveau-riche
opponents.
And it was their ill-endorsed nervousness that led to Grays
opening the scoring after just seven minutes. Having
previously threatened, a teasing right-wing cross from
Dennis Oli eluded the Southport defence and was converted
astutely by Michael Kightly from inside the area.
Goal
Top scorer Jamie Slabber looped a curling effort narrowly
over after exquisite approach play, before John Martin shot
wide of the far post and goalkeeper Steve Dickinson was
alert to smartly smother at the feet of Aaron McLean.
The visitors ably doubled their lead on twenty-two minutes
following a controlled period of possession and excellent
individual play from the mercurial Martin. He casually
waltzed around three Southport defenders before a well-timed
pull-back from the byline was stroked home by Slabber
seven-yards from goal.
Goal
Despite reducing the tempo, Grays remained in control of
proceedings, with McLean again coming close, before Oli
blazed wide following good play from the right.
The visitors’ dominance continued into the second period, as
Stuart Thurgood, dominant in the centre of the park, shot
wide and Sambrook forced goalkeeper Dickinson into a quality
block from an acute angle.
Skipper Thurgood also had an effort scraped away by Kevin
Lynch, before the Southport stopper denied Oli with an
excellent reflex save from point-blank range.
A tweak in formation allowed the Sandgrounders to threaten
and after Kevin Leadbetter had narrowly shot wide, Nick
Rogan halved the arrears fourteen minutes into his Southport
debut.
Leadbetter’s pass was knocked on by Baker, allowing Rogan to
execute a controlled finish across ‘keeper Eyre and into the
bottom left-hand corner.
While a second half cameo was insufficient evidence to
accurately forecast how the former Morecambe striker will
ultimately fare at Haig Avenue, some neat touches and a
vigorous endeavour to chase play was appreciated by the
Southport faithful.
And the home fans were also admiring of the five-minute
spell which presured as their side took the game to Grays.
Although adjudged to be offside offside, Nicky Eyre's
nervous save from Steve Daly displayed an stark uneasiness,
while Stevland Angus appeared particularly susceptible when
pressured.
Southport boss Liam Watson
But any reprieve was merely provisional as the league
leaders regained their two-goal cushion on seventy minutes
after slack defending. Andrew Sambrook’s high free-kick from
the right was converted by defender Jamie Stuart,
capitalising on hesitancy from Lane and Davis.
Jamie Slabber was denied a personal second after Dickinson
again produced a smart save, but another superb display from
the Southport stopper tarnished with three-minutes remaining
as an unorthodox error gifted the Blues a fourth. His sliced
clearance fell kindly for Gary Hooper who quickly advanced
before rolling the ball home.
If Grays’ menacing qualities avoid defeat at home to
Accrington in a fortnight, the Essex high-flyers will make
Conference history with a sixteen match unbeaten start to
the campaign. Alternatively, Southport must learn that you
only get smarter by playing smarter opponents.
(Alan Jones)
Southport: (4-4-2) 1. Steve Dickinson, 19. Chris
Lane, 6. Earl Davis, 4. Neil Fitzhenry, 16. Michael Powell,
5. Carl Baker, 10. Dominic Morley, 14. Kevin Lynch (21.
Robbie Booth ’70), 7. Kevin Leadbetter (20. Matthew McGinn
’70), 11. Steve Daly, 8. Neil Robinson (9. Nick Rogan ’46).
Unused Substitutes: 15. Jamie Speare, 12. Farrell Kilbane.
Referee: M. Haywood
Attendance: 1,148
Southport.gb.com Southport Man of the Match: 16.
Michael Powell
Final Score: Southport 1, Grays Athletic 4
Possession: Southport 46%, Grays Athletic 54%
Shots on Target: Southport 1, Grays Athletic 7
Shots off Target: Southport 5, Grays Athletic 5
Corners: Southport 2, Grays Athletic 6
Fouls Committed: Southport 9, Grays Athletic 12
Bookings: Southport 2, Grays Athletic 1
Sent-Off: Southport 0, Grays Athletic 0
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SOUTHPORT 1 GRAYS ATHLETIC 4
by RON ELLIS
It was an exciting afternoon’s football at Haig Avenue on Saturday with
another five goals scored but Southport should not be too disheartened
that four of those goals went to Grays Athletic as surely this is the
team that, having lost only once in sixty games, will be crowned
champions at the end of the season.
The Sandgrounders did not play badly, Nick Rogan making a good
impression in his first game, but the Essex side were fitter, faster and
stronger in all departments. The victory meant they equalled the
Conference record of fifteen games unbeaten since the start of the
season.
The visitors attacked from the first minute and Dennis Oli missed his
kick in the box after Chris Lane had cleared from Aaron McLean. The
Southport defence was having a hard time controlling the swift moving
Grays attack and, in the 7th minute, Michael Kightly opened the scoring,
calmly picking his spot from 15 yards out and hitting the top corner of
the net off the post.
Jamie Slabber shot wide as Grays went in search of more goals and they
made it look easy in the 22nd minute when John Martin jinked past two
defenders on the right wing and crossed the ball with pinpoint accuracy
to Jamie Slabber who nonchalantly slotted it home.
McLean tried a similar move on the right, beating off two defenders only
to see England international, Earl Davis, put his cross out for a
corner.
Steve Dickinson came to Southport’s rescue twice before the interval,
saving a shot from John Nutter and superbly keeping out Stuart
Thurgood’s drive from a long McLean free kick.
As the half time whistle approached, fans roared for a penalty as Kevin
Leadbetter fell in a tangle of players in the box and the ball appeared
to have been scooped away by a Grays’ defender but the referee waved
protests aside.
Davis saved his side again in the 49th minute after good work by McLean
and Andy Sambrook then Dickinson beat out Sambrook’s shot from Oli’s
pass for a corner.
In the 55th minute, both the impressive Mclean and Kightly thought they
had scored when Dickinson juggled the ball under the bar before finally
clearing, the referee deciding the ball had not crossed the line.
This let-off gave The Sandgrounders a glimmer of hope and, after
Dickinson had stopped another shot by Kightly, Nick Rogan, making his
debut after signing midweek from Lancaster City, reduced the arrears
with a well taken goal, drilling the ball confidently past Nicky Ayre
from the right wing.
For a short while, it seemed Southport might get back in the game as
they surged forward for an equaliser but Jamie Stuart put paid to their
hopes by getting in between Chris Lane and Dickinson to head in
Sambrook’s free kick in the 68th minute.A minute later, John Martin made
a good run down the wing but Davis cut out the cross bound for Oli.
Play was stopped in the 71st minute after Davis and Lane clashed heads
and Lane didn’t reappear, reducing the home side to ten men for the rest
of the game. Not that this mattered too much as the Athletic looked as
if they could beat twelve or thirteen men if necessary.
Oli had another shot stopped by Dickinson but the keeper slipped up
minutes later when he took the ball off Oli as he made a run down the
left wing only to push his clearance into the path of substitute Gary
Hooper who raced him to the ball and scored goal number four.
Grays kept up the pace to the end. When Robbie Booth made a run to the
corbner flag in the 93rd minute, there were three defenders round him to
make sure he couldn’t get a cross over. Seconds later, the final whistle
brought the uneven contest to an end. Had it been a boxing match, it
would have been stopped well before.
Liam Watson was full of praise for his opponents. ‘I’d go so far as to
say that Grays are the best team I have seen in non-league football.
Their movement was phenomenal, they had speed, strength and fitness. We
didn’t play badly and showed a lot of spirit, especially in the second
half when I told the lads to have a go with the wind behind us. But they
were in a different class and, with only ten men for the last twenty
minutes, we were never going to get back. Chris Lane has had to have ten
stitches in his eye and Earl had three stitches in his head but both
should be fit for next week’s 1st round F.A. Cup tie against Woking.
After the stirling defeat of Kidderminster in the last round, The
Yellows will be hoping for a repeat performance at Haig Avenue on
Saturday that may earn them a money-spinning tie in the Second Round.
SOUTHPORT Dickinson(7) Lane(6) Powell(7) Davis (7) Fitzhenry (7)
Baker(7) Lynch(6) (McGinn 71) Morley(6) Leadbetter (6)(Booth 71) Daly
(6) Robinson (6) (Rogan 46)
ATT: 1148 Man of Match Michael Powell
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