Southport had a very Good Friday winning 3-0 against Curzon Ashton after a dominant second half display. The win moves The Sandgrounders up to 11th place in The Vanarama National North table.
The first half was a scrappy affair with chances few and far between. Curzon probably had the best chance of the half but were thwarted by an excellent save from Dan Hanford in the Southport goal and Hanford was in action again palming away an audacious lob from just inside the Curzon half.
Dion Charles slipped whilst through on goal and Jack Sampson drew a fine save from the Curzon ‘keeper in a fairly drab first half.
What a turnaround in the second period. On 46 minutes a delightful through ball from Sampson found Charles who fired past the ‘keeper to put Southport 1-0 up and the tone was set for a second half of Southport domination. Chances came and went like they were going out of fashion with The Sandgrounders registering a total of 23 attempts at goal.
It was not until the 74th minute however that the second goal was scored when great work by Sampson saw him hold off his man and turn in the box to fire home with Charles following up to make sure. The goal was initially credited to Charles but it was confirmed by the Assistant Referee that it was Sampson’s goal, his 13th of the season.
Four minutes later and another contender for goal of the season when Marcus Wood unleashed a fierce dipping shot from 30 yards that flew past the Curzon keeper. It was Wood’s first goal for the Club and what a way to get off the mark. It was the icing on the cake for Southport who played out the final 10 minutes with a swagger with chances coming to increase the lead at a rapid rate.
Liam Watson had made six changes to the team that started against Hereford and the lads responded in great style.
We move on to a home game with Kidderminster on Easter Monday (3pm) who are still in with a mathematical chance of reaching the play offs and then the final league trip of the season is the long journey up to the North East to face the league’s in form team in Blyth Spartans who themselves are in with a very good chance of a crack at the play offs.
Line Up: Hanford, Richards. Ogle, Edwards, Winnard, Lacey, Green, Wood, Charles, Sampson, Homson-Smith
Subs Platt for Winnard 43, Davies for Lacey 78, Bauress for Homson-Smith 78
Unused Subs : Parry & Tibbetts
MOTM: Marcus Wood
Attendance 380
Match Report By Rob Urwin
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