MATCH REPORT | Southport 0 – 5 Accrington Stanley – Pre-Season

Having spent the past two months preparing for the new campaign, this was not the way Alan Lewer would have wanted his team to bring the curtain down on their pre-season schedule.

Seven days before the start of the Vanarama National League North campaign, Southport were put to the sword by Accrington Stanley, who scored five goals in the first half to emphasise the gap of two divisions between the teams.

The quality of Accrington’s football and finishing was on a different level, but Lewer attributed the heavy scoreline to shortcomings on the part of his players, rather than a gulf in class.

Southport’s chief tormentor was Billy Kee, the former Northern Ireland under 21 international, who hit a 20-minute hat-trick, although there was plenty of attacking menace throughout the Accrington team.

From the moment Kee put the visitors in front, this was an exercise in damage limitation for the Sandgrounders, who were given an uncomfortable reminder of the work still to be done despite previously achieving three straight clean sheets.

Having been tasked with assembling an entire squad this summer from scratch, it is clear that Southport remain a work in progress, but Lewer will expect his team to show greater resilience than they did here.

Kee opened the scoring on 12 minutes, sliding the ball home with a sharp finish, before adding a second after an initial header from Ben Richards had been touched onto the post by goalkeeper Iain Turner.

The team from SkyBet League Two proceeded to turn the screw, Seamus Conneely adding a third from 25 yards before Adam Dugdale sent a cross into his own goal.

Not even a penalty save could bring any respite for Southport, Kee completing his hat-trick just after the half-hour by converting the follow-up after his spot-kick had been saved by Turner.

Accrington threatened every time they broke and Sean McConville was a regular source of danger. He sent a fizzing shot just wide of the Southport goal and the home team will have been relieved to just head in at half-time.

As Accrington rang the changes in the second period, so their level of intensity dropped.

Southport failed to manage a meaningful attack before the interval, but as well as stemming the tide, they were at least able to make some headway as the match went on.

Ethan Jones found space on the edge of the Accrington area but his low shot was saved, before Alex Fletcher was also denied.

Southport’s best chance came when substitute Liam Martin brought a good stop from Aaron Chapman, Accrington’s replacement goalkeeper, but the damage had already been done.

Southport: Turner, Dugdale, C Jones, Smith, Jackson, White, Schumacher (Jennings 75), Roberts (Martin 57), Kissock (Fletcher 36), Sampson (Roache 83), Steele (E Jones 36).
Subs not used: Hynes, Howarth, Kpohomouh, Pimbalita.

Accrington Stanley: Trialist (Chapman 63), Donecien (Sousa 70), Hughes (Beckles 46), Richards (Mohmmed 77), Ogle (Edwards 46), Clark, Conneely, Nolan (Pearson 46), McConville, Kee (Brown 46), Jackson (McLoud 63).

Attendance: 474

Referee: Aaron Jackson

Report by Alan Jones