Southport 2, Stalybridge Celtic 3

Mar 17 2008 by Colin Hill, Liverpool Daily Post

Port play-off hopes dashed in an instant

A DEVASTATING 10-minute spell early in the second half pushed Southport out of the play-off positions as three goals from Stalybridge Celtic sealed the victory for the visitors.

In a lively fast-paced Blue Square Premier encounter, Southport took the lead as recent signing Ollie James received the ball from Tony Gray before astutely controlling and blasting home low from the edge of the area.

Port should have extended their lead going into the break as Michael Powell saw his header cleared off the line and Neil Prince volleyed the ball skywards from close range after Chris Lever put a cross over from the left wing.

Stalybridge pulled level eight minutes after the break as the ball found Ashley Winn, who stabbed the ball home.

Within two minutes the visitors took the lead as James Dean got the ball through to Alex Meechan, who made no mistake from close range.

Celtic added to Southport’s misery minutes later when a corner got through to Chris Hall, who headed the ball forward to Paul Sykes and he diverted the ball into the net from close range.

Tony Gray blasted a penalty home for Southport but it was not enough.

SOUTHPORT: Drench, Lever, Barratt, Hocking, Lee, Holland, Prince (Houghton 67), Blakeman, James (Prout 75), Gray, Powell. Subs: Hine, Smith, Walker.

STALYBRIDGE: Gamble, Woolliscroft, Smart, Payne, Barwick, Sykes, Torpey, Winn, Hall, Dean (Barlow 90), Meechan. Subs: Burke, Garner, Ellington, Pearson.

REFEREE: Darren Bond (Wigan). ATTENDANCE: 1,107.