Fans letting us down
LIAM Watson called on Southport supporters to get behind his team after an ‘eerie’ night at Haig Avenue on Tuesday.
The Sandgrounders were lifted into the play-off places after a thrilling 3-2 win over Hereford in the National League North.
Looking to bounce back from their FA Cup exit to Altrincham at the weekend, goals from Zehn Mohammed, David Morgan and Devarn Green secured three points for the inform home side.
Watson, however, admitted he heard several disgruntled shouts from the crowd with one aimed at goalkeeper Charlie Albinson, who has recently replaced long-term number one Dan Hanford between the posts.
“Zehn’s made a mistake,
Charlie’s tried to get Zehn out of trouble, [the referee has] given the penalty, no complaints on the penalty, great save, then they’ve scored a sloppy goal,” Watson said.
“It was an eerie game. The crowd was poor. There were one or two really poor shouts behind me. One was having a dig at Charlie.
“People have got to remember I stood by Dan for long spells last season especially when he wasn’t great. He came through to have a great season.
“It’s Charlie’s first mistake and people are jumping all over him.
“I just think it’s wrong. One thing about the Southport crowd, they always get behind us and really encourage them.”
Watson continued: “We need to grow players. That’s where we are as a football club, we need to develop.
“Shouts like that are poor but we’ve actually got over the line. We’re in the play-off positions.
“We’ve won four out of the last five and had a really good run so it’s strange that we have a poor crowd.
“Strange that it seems to be really negative and eerie tonight, but not strange that the players managed to drag a result out.”
Meanwhile, Liam Watson accused some of his Southport players of not caring after they bowed out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 home defeat to Altrincham at the weekend.
Jordan Hulme’s double and Tom Peers’ early second-half strike meant Zehn Mohammed’s late goal was purely a consolation for the Sandgrounders.
“We got what we deserved to be honest,” Watson said after the game.
“First-half was very even, one big call, where I was it looked a penalty but he hasn’t given it [to Southport] and then we’re in possession of the ball and put it needlessly out for a throw-in.
“From the throw-in we lose our man, it comes back and it’s a great strike and you’re 1-0 down. Then the [next] two goals are just a joke.
“It just gives you a mountain to climb. You might as well get beat six or seven than just one.”
Following the FA Cup defeat, however, Watson questioned the commitment of some under-performing stars.
“It’s disappointing for me on the double; managing the team but also being a director so you understand the finances,” he continued.
“On the flip-side, over the last two years we’ve had nine FA Cup ties and lost two of them, one to Tranmere [last season] and one here.
“A lot of people would snap your hands off for that and we’ve had decent money out of it but you just feel when you go out of a competition, it hurts now, and it should hurt.
“That’s my big thing about where we are as a team and as a club, there’s a few in [the dressing room] and I don’t think it does hurt.”