REPORT | Trophy Draw

Written by Rob Urwin

The spoils were shared at Mariners Park as Southport came away with a 2-2 draw in what we expected and what proved to be a hard fought game in the FA Trophy First Round.

After a quiet opening the game came to life in the 14th minute when a sweeping move involving David Morgan and Brad Bauress who fired in a superb cross that Jack Sampson headed over the keeper to give Southport a 1-0 lead.

Shields were having a lot of the ball but not really hurting the Southport rearguard which was as solid as ever in the first period.

David Morgan received the only yellow card of the game in the 38th minute for a lively challenge that had the home crowd baying for a red. The referee, who was excellent all afternoon, correctly saw it as a yellow.

Sampson had a shot from distance that never really troubled the keeper and it was Shields who came closest to scoring on the stroke of half time when Charlie Albinson made a great save from Robert Briggs.

1-0 Southport at half time.

As the wind picked up and the rains came on a bitterly cold afternoon, South Shields were on top in the second half and grabbed a well deserved equaliser on 66 minutes through Gary Brown after a spell of sustained pressure.

It came as no surprise when the home side went ahead through ex ‘Port striker Jason Gilchrist with an excellent finish.

This spurred Southport into life and parity was regained in the 81st minute when Raul Correia stabbed home a Devarn Green corner after some shaky handling by the home ‘keeper.

The game was quite stretched with both sides looking to get a winner and in the first minute of added time Ryan Astles came close with a header that crashed against the bar from a Bauress corner, it looked like it was a goal all the way but not to be.

4 minutes of added time were played with neither side able to get the winner and avoid a replay which will take place on Tuesday evening with a 7.45 Kick Off.

Thank you to the hardy band of Southport fans who made the 350 mile round trip.

Southport: Albinson, Mohammed (Oliver 76), Doyle, Winnard, Astles, Morgan, Benjamin, Wood (Correia 63) Woods (Green 63) Sampson, Bauress

Attendance: 776

MOTM Russ Benjamin