Goals from Chris Doyle and Tyler Walton handed Southport their first league win since a 2-1 victory over Chorley on February 4th, as they succumbed a recently revitalised Blyth Spartans 2-1 at Haig Avenue.
Despite Troy Chiabi reducing the arrears late on with a confident penalty, it wasn’t enough to galvanise, as the visitors head back to the North East empty handed.
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Story Of The Match
Blyth injected impetus straight from kick-off in aim to keep their recent good run going, and the visitors could have conjured up the perfect start after just the opening minute.
Southport made a mess trying to thwart some early pressure, and Michael Liddle reacted to a ball in the area and he struck with venom, but his shot cannoned off the post and in the same passage of play, a scuffed clearance trying to deny Cedric Main by Adam Anson was almost diverted into his own net by the Port skipper.
The hosts added urgency to their game as they were forced to weather the storm early on, but they finally found their feet. The first Southport effort only turned out to be a half effort, with the ceaseless threat of a long throw almost working out, but a relatively weak header left Alex Mitchell un-phased as it fell into his grateful arms.
Connor Woods sparked Southport’s biggest threat into life, as a ball swung in was met by the head of the Port winger, but Mitchell was left into making a routine save.
Blyth’s attacking impetus seemed to be coming from Cedric Main, who raced through on goal again in another threatening move by Blyth. The Spartans winger struck but it whistled past Tony McMillan’s post.
Skipper Nicky Deverdicks calved out Blyth’s next move as out of the blue, he snatched at the loose ball as he ventured forward to volley goalwards, with this proving a bigger threat than expected, but the shot eventually drifted over the bar.
In a crazy few minutes, in which many chances were calved out, it was baffling that it remained goalless.
Mitchell’s gloves were warmed by a low drive by Tyler Walton, which showed a lease of life in the Southport attack, but another two effort in the space of seconds should have resulted in a goal.
Jack Bainbridge diverted a header on target, but a last ditch clearance by Will McGowan kept the Yellows at bay at that time, but then a quick response via an effort by Connor Heath crashed off the post.
Blyth broke straight from the Southport attack, and the ever threatening Cedric Main struck from range after being forced out wide, but his effort was the next to fire off the post.
Southport were next to try their luck just before the break, as Connor Woods reacted to Jack Bainbridge’s cross-drawn pass, with Woods firing marginally wide.
HT: Southport 0-0 Blyth
The hosts came out fighting in scraps and were first to every ball, inferring their attacking intent, with them fashioning out plenty of chances and eventually, taking a well-merited lead.
The centre-back Chris Doyle ventured from the heart of the defence and was initially hauled down, with many predicting a spot-kick until Doyle hauled himself up and stabbed past Mitchell, giving the Port the breakthrough in a perfect start to the second half.
Blyth’s glimpses off hope were brief as some stringed passed failed miserably, as their night petered out to be very frustrating.
Southport had their second within the opening five minutes of the second half, as their recent rut was coming to an emphatic end.
A perfect free-kick routine worker wanders, as Tyler Walton received the ball out wide and despite being at a very acute angle, he managed to squirm his effort under the ‘keeper from his limited goal space and this lifted the hosts, with the boisterous support behind the goal roaring as the second flew in.
Port showed incredible endeavour to continue their threat in front of goal, and the ever present Connor Heath looked to add to the hosts account and fire one home for himself after many efforts. Firstly, he diverted a header just wide before swinging an effort towards the far post, but it squeaked wide. Then latter on in the contest, a ball whipped in was met in an awkward angle by Heath, but he done well to flick it up but he could only scoop it over the bar.
Niall Watson was next to sting the palms of Alex Mitchell, as he entered a foot race with a Spartans man, but Mitchell was out quickly to avert the danger.
Beyond the realms of possibility by the way the contest was petering out, Blyth were awarded a spot-kick after Cedric Main was brought down in the area.
Troy Chiabi made no mistake and slotted past Tony McMillan with relative ease as Blyth halved the deficit.
Spartans needed a goal and this was looking the more likely as they moved forward with attacking intent, and a late effort hooked forward was splendidly saved by Tony McMillan as Southport managed to hold onto a massive three points.
FT: Southport 2-1 Blyth
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Player Of The Match
Connor Heath (Southport)
A confident and assertive display by the front man unfortunately never earned him a well deserved goal, but nevertheless a very good display by Heath.
A threat in the air and bringing the ball down, many times he left Blyth defenders in his wake in his pursuit of a goal and many he set up, so this is a display he can take into the rest of the game in the remainder of the campaign.
