MATCH REPORT FROM SOUTHPORT

Having surrendered an invaluable victory two minutes after the allocated six additional minutes of injury-time had elapsed, it’s easy to blame the referee.

To be fair to the throngs of discontented Southport followers who remained especially to vent their frustrations and to the home management, whose fury ensured the Manchester official left the pitch under Police escort, the performance of referee Colin Harwood was woefully pedantic.

Harwood, who rarely seemed in control of proceedings, performed erratically throughout and along with Tamworth’s dire spoiling tactics, made for sporadic and mainly unattractive evening of football.

He frayed home tempers shortly after the interval by citing a deliberately thrown elbow as the reason to dismiss Neil Fitzhenry and it was a surprise that it took until stoppage time for a mass confrontation to ensue.

Pictured is referee Colin Haywood (centre)

But don’t let Mr. Harwood’s shocking officiating disguise that fact that this was another Southport capitulation – a habit which is becoming a worryingly recurring theme.

Although their play was intermittent, there was no doubt that the Sandgrounders deserved maximum points against a Tamworth side who would have been soundly defeated had it not been for an effective rearguard efficiently marshalled by Matt Redmile and skipper Aaron Brown.

The evening had started with manager Liam Watson’s shock choice to replace goalkeeper Steve Dickinson with Jamie Speare. Despite shipping eighteen goals prior to kick-off, Dickinson has been one of the Sandgrounders’ most consistent performers to date and it was of huge surprise to find him solely baring the brunt of the recent fallibilities.

But replacement Speare was so untested that it’s difficult to gauge how he will perform if selected regularly.

Jamie Speare

In an opening period starved of decent openings, the outstretched Terry Fearns failed to connect with an enticing ball from Carl Baker, who again revelled in a more central role.

Steve Daly didn’t connect with Speare’s long punt forward despite turning Brown, while the nearest the visitors came was when Redmile’s header from a corner flashed over.

Southport’s Fearns again had the chance to brake the deadlock, but headed over after a cross from Krief.

Fitzgerald shapes to shoot

Three minutes after the interval, the hosts were reduced to ten-men after Neil Fitzhenry saw red following an off the ball incident. As the Sandgrounders were awarded on the edge of their own area, the ‘Port stalwart appeared to elbow an opponent and after lengthy deliberation, was dismissed by referee Harwood.

But the adversity appeared to galvanize Southport, who took the lead five minutes later.

Epitomizing his individual alertness, the enigmatic Carl Baker gambled on a Steve Daly knock-down after a long-ball from Speare before sliding the ball under advancing goalkeeper James Dormand.

And the hosts could have doubled their advantage had Daly’s pull back not been intercepted by Brown with McGinn unmarked.

Tamworth veteran Bob Taylor failed to connect with Tristram Whitman’s left-wing centre on seventy-minutes, before substitute Francis shot straight at Speare.

The Lambs had defender Brown to thank again after Matthew McGinn had robbed defender Jimmy Jackson, allowing Daly to round ‘keeper Dormand, only for the recovering skipper to scrape off the line.

Tamworth tried their luck with Whitman firing wide, before the visitors grabbed an unwarranted leveller with ninety-eight minutes on the clock.

Scott Stamps’ through-ball meant goalkeeper Speare could only spill Bob Taylor’s initial shot into the path of sub Carl Heggs who obliged with a simple tap-in.

(Alan Jones)

Tamworth boss Mark Cooper

Striker Julian Alsop

Southport.gb.com Match Facts:

Southport: 15. Jamie Speare, 19. Chris Lane, 6. Earl Davis, 4. Neil Fitzhenry, 3. Jerome Fitzgerald, 10. Dominic Morley, 18. Dominic Krief, 2. Steve Pickford, 5. Carl Baker, 11. Steve Daly 9. Terry Fearns.
Unused Substitutes: 1. Steve Dickinson, 16. Michael Powell.

Referee: C. Harwood

Attendance: 1,012

Southport.gb.com Southport Man of the Match: 5. Carl Baker

Final Score: Southport 1, Tamworth 1
Possession: Southport 46%, Tamworth 54%
Shots on Target: Southport 2, Tamworth 3
Shots off Target: Southport 4, Tamworth 5
Corners: Southport 2, Tamworth 5
Fouls Committed: Southport 11, Tamworth 12
Bookings: Southport 1, Tamworth 2
Sent-Off: Southport 1, Tamworth 0

SOUTHPORT 1 TAMWORTH 1

by RON ELLIS Champion Newspapers

Southport’s fortunes plunged to a new low on Saturday after taking just one point from their last two games, leaving them in 20^th place in the Conference table, and losing four players through injury and suspension..

Tamworth salvaged an underserved draw at Haig Avenue on Tuesday in a game that the home team should have won easily.

The Birmingham side looked a poor outfit and the game only came to life at the start of the second half when Neil Fitzhenry was dismissed for throwing a punch at an opponent. This galvanized The Sandgrounders who went ahead three minutes later with a textbook Route One goal. A long goal kick from Jamie Speare was headed on by Steve Daly and Carl Baker rushed in to toe-poke it past the onrushing James Dormand.

Kevin Leadbetter, who replaced Daly after 83 minutes, had two chances to sew things up but he shot wide from 25 yards in the 83^rd minute and, as the ninety minutes approached, he rounded the keeper only to see his shot cleared off the line by Aaron Brown and Dormand grab it at the second attempt.

That should have been it if referee Colin Harwood had not unaccountably elected to extend the six minutes injury time by a further three minutes. With 97 minutes on the clock, Bob Taylor pumped a long ball into the area and Speare, who always looked alarmingly fallible, missed the ball allowing Heggs to bundle it into the net and give Tamworth a point they did not deserve.