South Liverpool slumped to a 2-0 defeat in the rearranged FA Vase tie against Albion Sports at Jericho Lane.
After Storm Darragh postponed the third round clash between the two sides at the weekend, the teams burst into life under the floodlights.
An early counter from a South Liverpool corner was thrown forward by the Albion Sports keeper, Jordan Porter, and was picked up by Nathan Cartman who had the goal gaping but fluffed his lines trying to square the ball to James Burgess for an early opener.
The home side struck back straight away with a gilt edge chance for Neil Weaver that brought early action from the Albion Sports’ number one from a well struck volley just 10 yards out.
The game settled after a furious 10 minutes but only until the ball fell to Albion’s Fernando Moke at the edge of the box after a Kieran Suddard cross which required a lunging block from South Liverpool’s Fidan Hajdari to prevent the thunderous strike nestling in the bottom corner.
The visitors continued to dominate, with long balls exploiting what looked like a shaky South Liverpool backline in the opening 20 minutes.
However, the biggest chance of the game came to the hosts after a teasing cross from Weaver was met by the head of Owen Hougill three yards out, with Albion’s keeper yet again clawing the ball out miraculously to keep the scores level.
After 30 minutes of goal mouth action, the contest fell in to a midfield stalemate. Both sides struggled to grip the midfield battle, and the ball failed to stick in the possession of either team.
This slump changed in a split second when a lofted ball over the South Liverpool backline in the 40th minute was graciously brought down by Cartman who shrugged off Hajdari with ease before planting the ball into the left corner from eight yards, giving Albion a marginally deserved lead five minutes before half time.
South Liverpool held on under a period of sustained pressure to drag themselves to half time with just the one goal separating the sides.
The home side came out for the second half calmer on the ball. Their build up play started to show patterns, but Cartman was still ever-present as a threat on the counter. As the half developed, South’s frustration grew. Their chances were limited to speculative crosses into the box that posed no threat to Albion’s physically dominant centre backs.
Their attacks were stifled by cynical fouls by Albion who shepherded the team in white and red around the box with high intensity pressing and strong aerial dominance which expended all of South Liverpool’s offensive creativity.
Cartman was still the most threatening presence on the pitch. His adeptness at creating havoc out of very little kept the fear in the back of the minds of South Liverpool’s defence and prevented the home side from moving up the field.
The fear was well warranted after a loose back pass from Dominic Cain in the 82nd minute caught out the South Liverpool centre backs to leave Cartman one on one with the keeper. Inevitably after two touches he stroked his left footed shot past the outrushing Lucas Allan at his near post for a gift of a second goal for the away side.
After the goal it was clear that the home side had ran out of steam. Other than a few flashpoints, the game was dead and buried and South Liverpool were ready for the full-time whistle, which they got after a non-eventful four additional minutes, signalling the end of their FA Vase run this season.
🏆⏱️ FT@SouthLplFC 0@AlbionSportsAFC 2
(att: 141)
⚪️⚫️🔴 pic.twitter.com/ffH3HLcmPn— South Liverpool FC (@SouthLplFC) December 11, 2024
South Liverpool move on to their next league fixture away to Irlam at the weekend whilst Albion Sports look to build on their cup progression in their away league fixture at Eccleshill on the 21st of December.
