Back to winning ways

A solid performance today with another changed 11

After last weekends dismal display away at Hurst Green, a match report wasn’t even worth producing. Today though, we were back on home soil and welcoming Fulwood, a team we often find ourselves doing well against.
With Ben Jackson picking up an injury last weekend which will rule him out for a few weeks, Jesse Dowling suspended & Craig Massam ill, a number of other changes happened with only 6 starters from last week starting again today.
Phil Norton again donned the number 1 shirt, Kie Wright, Dan Callaghan, Andy Dawber & Jimmy Green were the back 4, Luke Smith, Joe Tierney & Brad Shearwood the midfield 3, with Simon Hill, Paul Garrett & Jon Obrien the front 3.
Kyle Bretherton, Ste Cooke, Jordan Gregg, Jack Ledson the subs.
After a bright start in the opening 15 minutes, Southport had already knocked up 6 corners with one being tipped onto the crossbar from the visiting keeper. However it was Fulwood who came closest to opening the scoring but for an unbelievable point blank save from Phil Norton who somehow kept the game level with a save from only a couple of yards out.
The home side did take the lead though as Si, Jon & Paul were 3v3 and after some good movement off the ball Si cut inside and hit an effort right footed which was pushed up into the air from the keeper and Jon bundled the ball home for his 2nd goal in 2 games. Just 5 minutes before the half time whistle, Brad Shearwood was stood over a free kick from 25-30 yards out and bent a free kick right into the top corner to put the home side 2-0 up at the break and very deserved.
In the second half, Fulwood were on top from the off. Southport couldn’t get the ball down at all or string passes together. From a corner, the captain, Andy Dawber glanced a header into his own net to give Fulwood a lifeline. However, Southport shown great character to get the 2 goal cushion back as Luke Smith drilled home from outside the area into the far corner.
Jack Ledson then came on for Brad Shearwood.
The game wasn’t done with goals there though. Fulwood were then awarded a very very soft penalty as Dawber was adjudged to have pushed the Fulwood striker in the back. The Fulwood centre half stepped up and despite Phil getting a hand to it, the ball nestled into the net with Fulwood still having 15 minutes to get a point from the game. Jordan Gregg was then sent on for Jon Obrien to try and restore a 2 goal lead again. With around 10 minutes left Jordan danced through 4 players and was 1v1 with the keeper only to poke the ball wide of the post. However almost immediately was played through and on his left foot finished very well to make it 4-2 and kill the game. Ste Cooke was then brought on for Paul Garrett.
Overall a much improved performance from last week & all we ask for from the lads each weeks. These boys have the quality to perform and get 3 points each week, it’s just what team turns up which is the question. However if the lads continue to graft and fight like they did today, they’ll take some beating. This is now something to build on moving forward to the next 3 games starting with a Liverpool Cup fixture away at Vulcan FC, before league action vs Hesketh Bank returns and then back into the league cup vs Tempest.

The games man of the match was tied between Kieran Wright & Joe Tierney.
Kieran got better and better as the game went on and was unbeatable in the second half. Joe returned to the side after 2 weeks of hard training and didn’t stop running in the middle of the park.