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Although the score line was certainly a harsh reflection
on the effort that Belper put into the game but there was no doubt that
Southport’s extra class deserved to see them progress into the next
round.
Belper Town were at full strength. Ross Hannah
passed a late fitness test on his injured groin and took his place
alongside Anthony Wilson in the Nailers forward line, which meant that
leading scorer, Danny Toronczak had to be content with a place on the
substitutes bench.
Southport also recorded no injury problems and
manager, Peter Davenport was able to name a full strength side for a tie
in which £5,000 was at stake for the victors.
Southport made a perfect start, scoring in the first
minute. Danny Hudson committed a needless free kick from which Mark Duffy
floated the ball to the far post where Tony Gray took advantage of
hesitation in the Belper defence to head in from close range.
Jerome Watt drew a flying save from Adam Ogden as
Southport drew confidence from there great start and Tony Gray ought to
have extended Port’s lead but he dragged his shot wide of the far post
having created space for himself inside the Belper area.
Lee Stevenson sent a low free kick against the
Southport defensive wall from just outside the area as Belper tried to
force their way back into the game.
Wilson went into the referee’s notebook after 13
minutes with a late challenge on Kevin Lee as the Southport defender
cleared his lines but Port then went close again when Watt forced Ogden
to block his shot after Blakeman had opened up the home defence.
Referee Wootton was infuriating the home supporters
with a succession of free kicks awarded against Belper but the Nailers
were clearly struggling to make an impression against their full time
opponents.
Belper eventually carved out a scoring opportunity
after 24 minutes when Mark Smith’s cross was palmed away by goalkeeper
Richard Whiteside but Ross Hannah could only volley the loose ball
straight into the arms of the Southport ‘keeper from a tight angle.
James Colliver picked up the second yellow card of
the afternoon for another innocuous challenge but from the eventual free
kick, Duffy wastefully overhit his cross to the far post.
Hannah was the next in the referee’s notebook for a
foul on Kevin Lee, a decision which again riled the Belper followers.
Another excellent Southport move initiated by the
impressive Duffy ended when Blakeman forced Ogden to save his header at
his near post.
Then Belper survived another scare just before the
interval when Chris Holland sent a fierce shot against the post and
Michael Powell skied the rebound high over the crossbar.
Belper had shouts for a penalty when Hannah appeared
to be held back inside the visitor’s penalty area but the referee waved
away appeals and the half ended with Southport holding a single goal
advantage.
Ross Hannah sent a curling shot just beyond the far
post as Belper started the second half in a much more positive mood.
But Southport might have scored their second goal of
the afternoon when Blakeman nipped in between goalkeeper and defender but
his angled chip just floated past the far post.
Belper then created their best chance of the
afternoon. When Hannah’s close range effort was only half cleared to Mark
Smith, his ferocious shot was beaten away by Whiteside and then the
Southport ‘keeper somehow hung onto the ball as it bobbled dangerously
around the six-yard area.
Kevin Lee was forced to clear off the goal line as
Belper continued to put up a spirited fight.
More bookings were the order of the day when
Belper’s Lee Stevenson and Southport’s Michael Powell were both cautioned
for a spot of pushing.
Blakeman then sent a cross shot marginally wide as
Belper continued to struggle to cope with Southport’s overlapping wing
men.
The referee continued to make himself the centre of
attention with a string of baffling decisions against the home side as
frustrations began to escalate.
Southport ‘keeper, Whiteside took the ball out of
play from Hannah’s cross and then foolishly got himself booked for
kicking the ball away needlessly. Whiteside redeemed himself by getting
his fist to the resulting corner before Hobson sent a speculative shot
high and wide.
But Southport looked to have put the game beyond
Belper with a goal against the run of play after 77 minutes. Chris
Holland got away down the left, whipped the ball past Kotylo and crossed
for Tony Gray to have a simple chance to knock the ball past Ogden
from six yards.
Southport finally sealed the tie after 85 minutes
when Mark Duffy was in the right place from Mark Houghton’s cut
back, to fire easily past Ogden to make it 3-0 to the Sandgrounders.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
David Laughlin
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