Unbeaten in four: Have Southport FC turned their season around?

Southport FC’s sudden uptake in form has seen them double their points tally in just the past four fixtures.  

A torrid start to the season saw the Sandgrounders flat bottom of the sixth-tier of English football with just eight points in their first 13 fixtures.

Their additional eight points in four games has lifted them off the bottom with a respite for fixture congestion soon to come – only one game in the week against Kidderminster after this weekend’s cup tie.

Back-to-back 2-1 away wins against Buxton and Hereford have catapulted them to just a point away from escaping the relegation zone.

Either side of the wins were draws at the Haig Ave with a 0-0 stalemate against King’s Lynn and a late equaliser in to secure a 2-2 draw against Chester.

Manager Neil Danns’ job was in danger after such a poor start. Heading into the King’s Lynn game Southport had lost two on the trot and questions were being asked about his future.

If Danns can manage to maintain the Yellows’ surge, he could be in contention for Manager of the Month, an almost incomprehensible shift from their early-season woes.

Points-per-game has dramatically increased from 0.36 to 1.2, with more of an increase hoped for the assured safety of the Yellows in the National League North.

Performances have not always been lacking, but luck and unnecessary mistakes have critically endangered them with notable late-game mistakes costing them points against Peterborough and AFC Fylde.

Just two clean sheets all season will be a point to address should Danns’ side want to barge their way up the league table.

The change could be attributed to the additions of Jordan Keane, Luke Griffiths and loanee Callum Edwards to the starting lineup, with Keane especially contributing to the overall organisation of the back four.

Keane had been deployed as a holding midfielder all season, but has found his way back to his natural position of centre-back.

The club’s start to the season could not lie more in contrast to last year, albeit the Sandgrounder’s worst season on record.

They were flying to begin with and will hope for a continued reversal of fortunes from last year.

Olly Barton, member of Southport’s media, feels that the club has managed the shift due to eliminating unnecessary errors.

He said: “It’s a remarkable turnaround, but I wouldn’t say it’s come out of the blue. Performances have been there for the first 60 minutes but individual moments have seen other teams leave on top.

“The squad has been more resolute and clinical, areas we’ve severely lacked in for large portions of the season.

“Our FA Cup showed the quality we have. Even in the loss to Halifax we went toe to toe for the first 50 minutes against a team that are playoff-calibre in a higher division.”

Southport will hope to continue their run of form away to Buxton in the FA Trophy on Saturday.