We need to close the gap
SOUTHPORT boss Liam Watson has called for patience following his side’s 2-0 defeat at Brackley Town last weekend.
The Sandgrounders had drawn three consecutive games before arriving at St. James’ Park but have now failed to register a league victory since August.
With the club now second-bottom having won just one of their opening 11 games, Watson (pictured) blasted the ‘shambolic’ defending he witnessed at Brackley.
“There was a gulf between the two teams - Brackley were better than us - but that doesn’t mean to say they win,” he said.
“The work-rate in the first-half was poor. We never pressed, we never got close to them, we stood off them and the two goals from a defensive point of view are shambolic.
“One is a horrific individual error and the other is a left-back and left-midfielder marking their right-back and they’ve given the responsibility to each other and he’s cut inside and it’s ended up in the bottom corner.
“We were second-best all over the place in the first-half. Second-half there was a slight improvement but the game has gone then.”
Six of Southport’s opening 11 fixtures have involved sides currently placed in the National League North’s top ten including Brackley who went sixth after first-half goals from Ellis Myles and James Armson handed them all three points against Watson’s men.
The manager, who arrived for his third spell in charge of the club this summer following the axing of Kevin Davies, asserted that it will take time to build an identity at Haig Avenue.
“You look at the teams up in the top six and we’ve come across them all early and we haven’t been close to them,” he assessed. “That’s the gulf. That’s where we are and that’s where we need to improve.