Having started their campaign by promising much but faltered against average opposition and recorded a disappointingly meagre return, Southport’s prospects this season will become clearer by the way in which they negotiate the next seven days.

Sandwiched in between fixtures against Burton Albion and Gravesend and Northfleet is Thursday evening’s deadline for transfer activity - by which time supporters will know how confidently they can approach the coming months.

With just two points from four Nationwide Conference outings, the Sandgrounders’ impending matches have subsequently acquired added importance, but equally pivotal to determining the atmosphere at Haig Avenue will be the identity of any new arrivals.





A decisive lack of experience at this level has already impacted on results and although one would like to think that Southport’s second limp defeat was significantly influenced by injury and suspension to potentially key players, the limitations of the current squad are in need of a quick solution.

With barely a noteworthy shot on target to show for an afternoon that again posed many questions, the Sandgrounders were reckless at the back and lacked drive or variation to their play.

It is worth acknowledging that Paul Cook’s side remain at the formative stages of a transitional season, but their failure to tellingly contest a match against an effective but far from impressive Rushden and Diamonds side does not suggest that events will transpire comfortably.

Having become the dominant force after a stretched start to proceedings, the visitors secured victory in the space of six first-half minutes and created the opportunities to have further capitalised upon their opponents’ vulnerabilities.



Although most of the Southport side struggled to cohere, full-back Chris Lane recorded a confident and firm individual performance, while captain Mark Boyd was the hosts’ most creative asset, shooting off target on several occasions and composing some neat passing from which very little materialised.

During a period in which the hosts registered a succession of efforts from distance, Boyd contributed their closest effort on twelve minutes with a 30-yard shot that veered narrowly wide of the Rushden goal. Earlier on, Diamonds’ David Savage failed to find the target after good play by Daniel Chillingworth, who also crossed for Michael Rankine to head over.

Liam Blakeman shot wide for Southport, Boyd’s free-kick flew narrowly over and goalkeeper Nicky Eyre denied Mark Jackson in what was a lively start for both sides, but it was not long before the visitors, relegated from the Football League four months ago, become the dominant force.

With 24 minutes gone, Simeon Jackson, a constant threat in the Rushden attack, shrugged off defender Lee Hoolickin only for Paul Harrison decisively smother, while the Sandgrounders’ ‘keeper did well to tip over a shot from Marcus Kelly and deny striker Rankine from close range.

Diamonds took deservedly the lead on 29 minutes, when Jackson fed Chillingworth, who went unchallenged before scoring from outside the area with the aid of a deflection off defender Kevin Lee.


0-1


Team Celebrate

And after Lee had felled Kelly, the visitors doubled their tally before the break courtesy of a cleverly-engineered free-kick. With the intention of unsighting ‘keeper Harrison and confusing his defence, Rushden placed three men in an off-side position to block the view of the Southport stopper. They raced out, allowing Paul Watson to curl a shot superbly into the top left of the goal from 25-yards.

Some may argue the tactic was a rather unsporting move, but Paul Hart’s side must nonetheless take full credit for orchestrating such an innovative routine, which ultimately prove decisive.

After Robbie Booth had been denied by full-back Glen Wilson, defender Michael Powell was called upon to thwart Jackson at the other end, before Hoolickin’s free-kick and a cross from Olsen were both deflected wide for Southport after the break.



As Rushden were forced into a tactical change which consequently tempered their fluidity, the Sandgrounders played with greater organisation although they remained feebly poor when it came to creating opportunities.

On 75 minutes, substitute Tom Shaw shot over for the visitors, while Powell produced a superb recovery tackle to deny Jackson who had strode through the Southport defence. Rankine was denied by ‘keeper Harrison, whose opposite number saved from Booth.

Having shot wide from an Olsen lay-off, Baker earned the Sandgrounders a chance to stage a possible reprieve by winning a penalty under the challenge of Chris Hope. But although the attacker drilled home the resulting kick with five minutes remaining, Cook’s side rejected the opportunity to apply any pressure.

(Southport 1 - 2 Rushden and Diamonds)

* More photos by Angie, sgb forum member Slarti, are available here





Southport manager Paul Cook


Southport.gb.com Match Facts:

Southport: (4-4-2) 21. Paul Harrison, 2. Chris Lane, 5. Kevin Lee, 4. Michael Powell, 3. Lee Hoolickin (20. Sean Clancy ’88), 14. Robbie Booth, 6. Mark Boyd, 8. Liam Blakeman (27. David Owens 69), 11. James Olsen, 5. Carl Baker, 18. Mark Jackson (23. Francis Barry ’54).
Unused Substitutes: 12. John Bagnall, 15. Steven Rowland.

Referee: K. Evans

Attendance: 1,083

Southport.gb.com Southport Man of the Match: 2. Chris Lane

Final Score: Southport 1, Rushden & Diamonds 2
Shots on Target: Southport 6, Rushden & Diamonds 9
Shots off Target: Southport 8, Rushden & Diamonds 5
Corners: Southport 5, Rushden & Diamonds 6
Fouls Committed: Southport 11, Rushden & Diamonds 16
Bookings: Southport 0, Rushden & Diamonds 2
Sent-Off: Southport 0, Rushden & Diamonds 0