Ref one of the worst I’ve seen

SOUTHPORT manager Liam Watson blasted referee

Adam Williamson after his side’s 2-1 home win over Ashton United helped them reach the first round of the FA Cup.

Brad Bauress handed the Sandgrounders an early lead in the tie before skipper David Lynch was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence at the beginning of the second period.

Sam Sheridan equalised for the visitors shortly after but Devarn Green struck the winner for an undeterred Southport side late on.

Despite the victory, Watson was unhappy with the standard of officiating on display at Haig Avenue.

“I’d seen early on that the referee was incredibly poor,” the manager said.

“He was weak, but he seemed to be extremely weak in everything 50-50, everything 60-40, everything he could have gave against us he did.

“I just said to him at the end, ‘I bet you’re devastated we won.’ And it’s true. In all my years, I can’t recall an individual refereeing performance as bad as it was.

“I’m not disagreeing with the yellow card for David Lynch in the first-half. The one in the second-half was soft but he [the referee] couldn’t wait to do it [send him off.]

“The initial [yellow card], from Lynchy’s dissent, it was the manner of the fouls he was giving that was frustrating the players.”

Southport will now face Boreham Wood in the next round of the competition. Further details of the tie are due to be announced in the coming days.

Southport received

£25,000 from their victory over Ashton while a win in the first round proper would be worth £36,000 to the club’s bank balance.