Southport v Carlisle United: Hawks and High Hopes

Team list for tonights game:

Steve Dickinson
Chris Lane
Kevin Houlihan
Michael Powell
Paul Martin
Mark Boyd
Carl Baker
Liam Blakeman
Tony Gray
Mark Jackson
Alex Smith
Francis Barry
Robbie Booth
Joe Fowler
Kevin Lee
Scott Stamps
Jordan Holmes
Steve Rowlands
and the gobby keeper from yesterday.

Southport lost the toss and had to play into the setting sun in the first half. In the first couple of minutes alone Dicko made a great save and Southport had a goal disallowed for off-side. Already it was a better match than yesterday. Steve Dickinson looked confident and assured in goal. It was great to see a Southport team pass the ball well, play positive football and have some good pace. Southport's hard work was rewarded with a penalty taken and scored by Mark Boyd and then to mark the new era of football at Haig Ave Southport scored two goals from set pieces, with Michael Powell from a corner and Tony Gray following a free kick. This was definately a new side.
The game was marred by the substitutions in the second half. The side lost shape and cohesiveness and fell apart. Carlisle were allowed back in and would have socred three in three minutes if they hadn't missed a penalty. With Dicko off the field Southport didnt look at all safe.
After a while Southport settled down and played better. Joe Fowler made a couple of good runs but both time shot straight at the keeper.
The end result was a fair one, Southport deserved a win. Everyone watching that will have high hopes for the new season (excpet maybe the away fans).

Southport v Oldham: The Heat and the Flies

The Southport team for tonight was:

John Bagnall Keeper
Shaun Foster Def.
Lee Roache Def.
Dan Bromilow Def.
Matty McGinn Def.
Carl Osman Mid
Tom Fields Mid
Joe Fowler Fwd
Paul Brown Mid.
Paul Hart Fwd
Rob Dutton Fwd
Michael Powell Def

Phil Palethorpe Keeper
Shaun Tierney Mid
Kevin Lee Fwd
Steve Williams
David Brooks

The first half saw all the action, amongst the heat and the flies the game kicked off. Oldham were clearly the better side and despite a lot of shouting from Bagnall Oldham were allowed to score 4 goals with easy style. Matty McGinn, one of the few to have played last season had the best performance, he put some good free kicks and crosses in and managed to hit the post on the half hour mark. Tierney and Osman showed some skill and Powell looked confident when he came on. Chris Lane was on the pitch at half time.
The second half was quieter. Shaun Foster came on (again) for McGinn and looked disturbingly like the love child of Daly and Pickford...
Oldham got another goal before the end and a hot air balloon floated across the dusk sky.
the best players were McGinn, Powell and Tierney. Cook will have to decide if they are up to Conference standard or have the potential to be. Fingers crossed tomorrow night is a bit more competitive!

For Oldham Chris Hall (hat-trick) and Paul Edwards looked the best, I would be happy if the team playing in blue was going to be starting for Southport on August 12th.

Chorley and Crewe

Southprot FC beat Chorley 4-0 and drew against a strong Crewe side 2-2. Although I didn't go to either match from the reports I have read it sounds like Paul Cook is heading in the right direction and will have a Conference standard side when the season starts. This being Southport some "supporters" are not happy, you would think we had lost both games and struggled to field a side. But they can be easily ignored even if they boo the team on the first day! There will always be those shouting abuse at the manager and players whatever the results are.

This is the start of a new era for Southport FC and one that looks increasingly positive!

The next games are midweek:

Jul 18 19.45 H Oldham Athletic
Jul 19 19.45 H Carlisle United

Hopefully if the traffic on the M6, M60 and M57 isnt too bad I will make it back from work to watch both of them. I am looking forward to see the new Southport FC in action.