MANAGER Peter Davenport insists Southport’s Blue Square North promotion hopes remain alive – despite a double setback over the past seven days.
The Sandgrounders have endured a disappointing week ahead of today’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie with Northwich Victoria at Haig Avenue.
Their eight-game unbeaten run was ended by a 2-1 defeat at Worcester City last weekend and that was followed by a 1-0 reverse at leaders Harrogate Town on Tuesday night.
As a result fourth-placed Port have slipped nine points off top spot.
Davenport said: “Whether Harrogate stay the course I don’t know but I think we will. They don’t give out the prizes in October and we’ve still got a real chance.
“A lot of teams, including Harrogate, have got to come to our place. We’re very close to being a successful team and there’s just a bit of fine-tuning to be done.
“We were just lacking a cutting edge, a bit of luck or some proper decision making from the officials at Harrogate.
“We should have had a penalty towards the end. We were looking for a little bit of help from the officials but we got none of that all night.
“The officials were very poor.”
Port should fancy their chances of FA Cup progress today against a struggling Northwich side managed by former Haig Avenue striker Dino Maamria.
But he has been using his lengthy experience of playing for the Sandgrounders to help prepare his squad for today’s tie.
Maamria said: “I know most of the Southport players and have good knowledge of the club and ground and hope to be use that to help us through to the first round proper.
“In view of our league form with no wins in 17 games, I would be content with a draw, but I believe we have the players to achieve better than that.”
Vics will be without midfielder Simon Heslop who has returned to Barnsley after a month’s loan, but otherwise have a clean bill of health apart from long-term injuries to Jonny Allan and Michael Byrne.
Former Chester City striker Lee Steele leads the attack and will be bidding for his first goal since returning from a long-term hamstring strain, but ex-Southport striker Paul Tait is not in the starting line-up.
Should the game be drawn, the replay will be at the Victoria Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm).
NORTHWICH: Tynan; Battersby, Strong, Wilson, Brown; Maylett, Welch, B Williams, Carr; Steele, C Williams. Subs: Tait, Connett, Townson, Rusk, Maamria.
