Winless Southport still exceeding expectation

LIAM Watson’s Southport side are yet to win a National League North game –but they are already exceeded the expectations of many observers.

The fixture list was unkind to the Sangrounders, pitting them against a host of full-time, highly fancies opponents in the quarter of the campaign.

However, while three points has proved elusive so far, Watson’s young charges have stood toe to toe with some of the best teams in the division and offered more than enough to suggest they can hold their own in the division.

On Saturday they were pegged back from 3-1 up against Gateshead at the Pure Stadium, conceding a 95th minute equaliser to make it three draws from their opening three home games.

They have lost out on the road at Spennymoor and Fylde, leaving them with five points from the first five games.

But that given the calibre of opposition so far, that’s a reasonable return. And, according to director Ian Kyle, there have been plenty of positives.

“When the fixture list came out, there were a large number of people who were looking at our games and were kind of resigned to the fact that we wouldn’t put any points on the board whatsoever in the first eight or nine games,” he said.

“I think what has been shown already is that although we have a young side they are absolutely full of spirit. They are fighting for every ball in every game, there is a massive amount of athleticism in there. They have gone toe to toe with the so-called top five or six teams in terms of skill and energy and fitness – and bear in mind, these are all full-time teams that we have played to date.

“So I think it puts us in good stead and I think massive credit should go to the players for every game we’ve played so far. I don’t feel we have struggled at all, we matched every team we have played. Gateshead have been the best team I have seen so far, very strong, very attack-minded, pass and move – but we were 3-1 up!

“In the three home games, the crowd has been bouncing, the atmosphere has been great and everyone has enjoyed it. Would we get that with dull 1-0 wins? No. There will come a point in the season where we will definitely want to take dull 1-0 wins!

“But right now we are playing a style of football that everyone seems to be enjoying, we’re playing attack-minded football and we’re going toe to toe with what you would think will be the better, stronger teams in the league who have three or four times the budget we have.

“Obviously from a management and a board perspective we want to go to the next stage and be winning these games, but at this stage in the season we have to take the positives.

We will continue to press and continue to push so that these draws turn into wins, but everyone can see that it’s coming.”

Kyle said the potential in the side was clear for all to see.

“There are several players in there that you could identify as having the potential to play in the EFL – there is so much potential in the side that the future has got to be bright” he said.

“It shows with the way that Liam is going about his business that it’s no fluke. He knows where to look, he has the scouting system in place where he is picking up these players and that’s how we’ll continue.”

Southport face another hotly-tipped team in Brackley away this weekend before travelling to Chorley for the FA Cup second qualifying round, a tie Kyle admits was far from a plum draw.

“It’s not the most favourable of draws - everyone would have liked a home game against a Step 5 or 6 team wirth a bit of an easy way through. But this is Southport and that doesn’t happen!

“Let’s look forward to the game, it’s a derby against a Chorley side who are going to be flying high after their game against Gloucester.

“There will be a good crowd, a good atmosphere and at the end of the day it’s the FA Cup, you’ve got to beat whoever is put in front of you.

“So let’s enjoy the day and get a result against Chorley.”