Southport defeated fellow National North side South Shields 4-0 at The Big Help Stadium to progress through to the third round of the FA Trophy.
Goals from Mikey O’Neill, Adam Anson, Niall Watson and a Declan Evans spot-kick saw off the visitors who sit 10 places above them in the division.
The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute when a lovely one-two between Niall Watson and David Morgan found the perfectly positioned O’Neill who slid-in at the front-post to turn the ball home.
34' – GOAL! – Niall Watson and David Morgan played an elegant one-two down the left flank, freeing up space for the winger.
A few yards out, he squared it to Mikey O'Neill, who slid-in at the front-post to give Port the lead!
— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) November 18, 2023
Five minutes later it was two, as captain Adam Anson ran to the halfway line to celebrate by holding up a shirt in tribute of life president Sam Shrouder, who sadly passed away on November 12th.
The skipper got his name on the scoresheet with a looping header at the back-post after Morgan delivered a lofted cross from a free-kick from the left flank.
39' – GOAL! The hosts double their advantage through captain, Adam Anson.
A lofted free-kick from David Morgan reached the back-post, where the skipper looped a header over the onlooking 'keeper.
2-0.
— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) November 18, 2023
Five minutes after the interval, the duo that combined for the first repeated their antics as scorer turned provider.
O’Neill picked up the ball on the edge of the area and raced at goal, jinking past the challenge of several claret and blue shirts to set up Watson. The winger cut in on his right, sitting down a defender in the process. Despite the roars from the crowd, he remained calm, and finished into the top-right corner to send the Port faithful wild.
50' – GOAL! – It's three for the Sandgrounders! O'Neill picked up the ball and drove at goal, dazzling the Shields defence. He laid it off to Watson, who jinked past a challenge, chopped in and placed the ball in to the top right corner to finish off a beautiful goal.
— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) November 18, 2023
With eight minutes remaining, Josh Hmami picked up the ball on the halfway line and drove at goal. Urged on by the Yellow Army, the midfielder went for it. He glided past a host of challenges before being brought down inside the area, with the referee pointing to the spot.
Declan Evans stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards, beating Boney despite the ‘keeper guessing correctly.
