|
| |
SOUTHPORT 1 YORK CITY 4
southport.gb.com match report followed by Report from Ron
Ellis
If anyone wanted a demonstration of the gulf in class between a
virtually-professional Conference and the anonymity of its feeder leagues - this
was it.
In this league, hesitancy is punished, recklessness is forbidden, carelessness
concedes goals and failure to convert means you loose. Unfortunately, Southport
were wincingly guilty of the lot.
While any knee-jerk assessments of the season barely begun are foolish, a
reverse scoreline of when the sides last met twenty-seven ago, left Haig Avenue
struck with a stark message of the task ahead, as the Sandgrounders still await
their first Conference point.
Let’s not forget that this side is working progress, about to embark on a fresh
learning curve and at the heart of a youthful squad, is an abundance of
potential. But tonight, the sporadic spurts of anything hopeful were
disastrously overshadowed by ghastly errors which cannot be repeated.
A piece of ingenious link-up play on thirty-seven minutes proved unstoppable,
but aside from that, it was Southport themselves who crafted their opponents’
success.
In a frenetic opening, the visitors took the lead on three minutes, when Darren
Dunning’s right-wing free-kick twice went unchallenged. David McGurk was allowed
to head across goal, allowing Joe O’Neil to convert at the far post.
But no sooner had the large visiting contingent drawn breath, the Sandgrounders
were level. For the second match in succession, Steve Daly regained instant
parity, drilling home a low 12-yard effort after cutting in from the left.
Southport mustered hope, with Leadbetter finding the side-netting and Fearns
threatening twice, but the hosts were soon behind again after more defensive
mishap.
A harmless-looking ball from left-winger Darren Mansaram fluttered across goal,
only for Jerome Fitzgerald to wildly miss his kick. The free Mark Convery duly
obliged, dispatching from inside the area past a hapless Dickinson.
But the Ministermen’s third, which arrived ten minutes later, was a goal of
breathtaking simplicity. Marauding from deep down the right flank, Clayton
Donaldson showed great power to shrug off the lumbering Krief and Fitzgerald,
before whipping in a fierce cross, to be converted by O’Neil’s bullet header.
Despite a humbling scoreline, the blame must not be shouldered by goalkeeper
Steve Dickinson. Let down by those in front of him, Dickinson produced a
spectacular diving save to maintain some of his side’s respectability. Mansaram
unleashed an 18-yard effort after being gifted space, only to find the Southport
‘keeper in an uncompromising manner.
In cruise control, the visitors’ lack of urgency made for a balanced second
period, with Leadbetter and Pickford both firing wide as Southport huffed and
puffed.
The hosts’ best chance of gaining a second came after ‘keeper Chris Porter
flapped at Pickford’s hanging cross, but Steve Daly could only blaze wide of a
packed goal-line from close range.
City threatened through Convery and Dunning, before bagging a fourth after a
wretched error from Chris Lane. Unpressured, the ‘Port full-back’s absent-minded
header fell into the path of O’Neil who completed his hat-trick with comfort.
For anyone who expected Southport to re-establish themselves at the peak of
non-league football in an instance – this was a harsh reality check. No one
remains under any illusions as to the challenge ahead after a night of promise
materialised into cruel catalyst for severe reflection.
(Alan Jones)
SOUTHPORT 1 YORK CITY 4
BY RON ELLIS
On Tuesday night, York City brought over 300 spectators to
swell the crowd to 1646, better than many full-time clubs in the
Conference.
Featuring only two players who were with the club last
season, City controlled the game from the start and went ahead from a
free kick after only three minutes when Joe O’Neill took advantage of
three hesitant defenders to nip in and head the ball past a bemused
Steve Dickinson.
The home side replied three minutes later via Route One.
Dickinson booted the ball downfield, Steve Daly, Southport’s man of the
match, collected David McGurk’s back header and coolly placed the ball
wide of the advancing keeper.
In the 19th minute, more bad defending allowed
Mark Convery a clear view of goal from a Danny Manseram pass and he
blasted the ball past a helpless Steve Dickinson who again had no chance
in the 37th minute when Clayton Donaldson went flying down
the right wing and O’Neill thundered in a header from his pinpoint
centre.
A superb fingertip save from Dickinson stopped a drive from
Mansaram two minutes later and, as half time approached, he smothered
O’Neill’s shot on the line.
The Sandgrounders played some good football in the second half but it
was obvious that York were in a different class; faster, stronger and
fitter than the home side.
More kamikaze defending produced the fourth goal in the 81st
minute. Farrell Kilbane lost the ball to substitute Andy Bishop who sped
down the right wing past Jerome Fitzgerald as if he were a statue. Earl
Davis cut out Bishop’s centre but the ball skewed off his foot and
landed in front of Chris Lane who kindly pushed it into the path of
O’Neill to prod home past
Dickinson
and secure his hat-trick.
|
