Watson’s so proud of Sandgrounders’ shift
RICHARD PARTINGTON
LIAM Watson expressed his pride in Southport’s patched up squad after Easter Monday’s defeat to Chester.
Port were beaten 2-1, playing out the majority of the game with ten men following Jack Doyle’s dismissal.
It extended the club’s losing run to four matches and came three days after their Good Friday defeat at Bradford Park Avenue, a display which had disappointed Watson.
He’d called for a response against high-flying Chester and got it, despite the result going against his side.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the players. I actually think we started the game really well, put them under a lot of pressure early doors and the game changed on a refereeing decision,” he said.
“In a game like that, I think Calum (McIntyre, Chester boss) would be the first to say it wasn’t not a red card. The assessor said it’s never a red card. But I was worried at the start that the game was too big for the ref (Stuart Morland).
“But no excuses, we’ve been beaten by an absolutely brilliant goal where sometimes you just have to applaud.
“The players couldn’t have given me any more, they ran themselves into the ground. You wouldn’t have noticed for lots of spells that we were down to ten men and for the last fifteen minutes I understand Chester sitting back and soaking things up.
“Chester are used to winning and at the moment we’re not, so they probably backed themselves to see it through.”
Monday’s clash was played out in front of the biggest home league gate since 2017 and the fifth highest in the Non League era.
Boosted by more than 1,300 Chester fans, there was a great atmosphere at Haig Avenue and both sets of supporters showed the proper way to get behind their respective teams.
Southport started the brighter and had Chester on the back foot and Tony McMillan in the Southport goal was virtually redundant in the first half but both sides were not creating clear cut chances.
The turning point came in the 22nd minute when Doyle was shown a red card for a challenge on
Kevin Roberts which appeared hard but fair. However, the referee saw fit to send him off.
Chester took the lead through Elliott Whitehouse in the 49th minute, a fine low shot that flew past McMillan.
Given the one man disadvantage Southport were playing much better and deservedly equalised in the 56th minute with Niall Watson firing home from the edge of the area into the roof of the net.
Unfortunately, parity lasted only six minutes with Chester’s leading scorer Kurt Willoughby scoring an excellent goal, a 25-yard curling effort which flew in off the underside of the crossbar.
The home side’s heads didn’t drop and it was the Chester contingent that were whistling for the final whistle in the closing stages as Southport piled forward looking for the equaliser. It nearly came. direct from a corner that hit the post before being cleared away and with McMillan up for the setpiece, Chester failed to make the most of the breakaway.
“We had one or two good opportunities which have been wasted and I don’t know what happened in the last minute, where it hit the post from a corner,” added Watson.
“Niall (Watson) was very good when he came on and scored an absolutely outstanding goal. He gave us something different in behind. I felt sorry for Dylan (Vassallo) because he has ended up being sacrificed because of Jack Doyle’s dismissal, as he’s not a natural left back.
“When you think, Chris Doyle’s missing, Keenan Quansah’s missing, Jordan Archer’s gone off, Jack Doyle’s been sent off – but we still put it in a proper, proper shift.
“Compare that to Friday. Sometimes a few home truths are needed – play for the badge, play for the club, play for the shirt. That’s what they need to do. The fans will always appreciate hard work and everyone of them put a proper shift in.”
There was bad news for Jordan Archer, who looks set to sit out the rest of the season alongside Keenan Quansah.
“It looks like a medial knee ligament injury for Jordan, so I can’t see him playing again this season and I can’t see Keenan playing again this season,” said Watson. “That’s disappointing.
“Chris Doyle failed a fitness test before the game but we have just got to get ourselves through the next few games, take stock and go again.
“Football’s football and you make your own luck. When you’re on the crest of a wave and everything’s going right, you get the breaks. When you’re not, they go against you. That’s what happens.”
The Easter defeats saw Southport slip to 18th in National League North and things get no easier for them this weekend with the trip to leaders King’s Lynn Town.
The sit top of the pile but just one point ahead of Fylde, who have a game in hand.
“It will be a huge game for King’s Lynn and there will be an awful lot of fans on,” said Watson. “It’s always a nice place to go and play your football, Kings Lynn, it’s a lively, intimidating atmosphere and that’s what we need.
“But we also need to put in a shift like we did on Monday.”