Southport 0 Darlington 0

Darlington had to settle for a point at Haig Avenue, which means they still haven't won there in eleven visits since 1970.

Quakers had better chances than Southport. Hazeem Bakre hit the bar and missed another from close range, Cedric Main missed a one-on-one, and Main had strong appeals for a penalty turned down in the second half. At the other end, keeper Pete Jameson pulled off three good saves.

Here's Steve's post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwB_5vNGZoY

Southport had a chance in the first minute. Danny Lloyd found Sam Minihan on the right, and his first time cross was volleyed towards goal by Sonny Hilton, but Peter Jameson comfortably saved under his crossbar.

Southport won a corner on 3 minutes on their left, but Quakers got it away at the near post.

They engineered another chance when Angus set up Lloyd, but Jameson again comfortably saved his effort.

Southport had a let off when Hazeem Bakre chased a ball into the Southport box, and Chris Renshaw’s attempted clearance hit the striker and went wide of the right hand post.

Lloyd got on the end of a long ball into the Darlington box, but Toby Lees deflected his shot for a corner which Jameson punched away.

Quakers broke out of defence in 11 minutes and nearly scored. Cedric Main broke away and played a good ball inside towards Hazeem Bakre, but Renshaw just got to the ball first.

In Quakers next attack, Main found Hedley on the overlap, and the full back’s driven cross was held by Renshaw.

Darlington won their first corner on 15 minutes on the left, but Minihan managed to hack the ball away.

Quakers nearly scored on 22 minutes. Matty Cornish played the ball into the box for Bakre to hold off his man and run on to, but his shot came back off the bar.

Southport missed a good chance on 29 minutes. The ball was played in from the left into the near post, where LLoyd put the ball wide.

Quakers had an opportunity on 32 minutes when Hatfield won the ball on the corner of the box and set up Cornish, whose first time right foot shot was held by Renshaw.

Half time 0-0

Lees put in a good tackle on Angus as the wide man tried to break down the left at the start of the second half.

Quakers then took hold of the game, and put together some good pressure. They had a great chance on 51 minutes when Main got through with just Renshaw to beat, but the keeper smothered his shot.

Quakers made their first sub on 52 minutes, with Kallum Griffiths coming on for Elliot Forbes, who had suffered a slight injury to his calf.

When Quakers lost the ball in midfield, Angus broke on the left, but fired well over the top.

The visitors responded with a right foot shot by Scott Barrow from 30 yards which went just past the left hand post.

Quakers got a free kick on 59 minutes which saw Hatfield and Cornish have shots blocked, before they won a corner which was floated in by Cornish, and Renshaw just managed to hold the ball under the bar.

Quakers made two more subs on 62 minutes, with Matty Cornish and Will Flint coming off for Caden Kelly and Sam Hetherington. 

Kelly nearly created a goal with his first touch, a low cross from the right that Renshaw fumbled, but no-one in a purple shirt could latch on to the loose ball.

Quakers put together a great move on 65 minutes, which ended with Barrow floating the ball into the middle, but Bakre sidefooted wide from six yards out.

After Jameson comfortably saved a Lloyd free kick, Quakers had a loud penalty shout when Main appeared to be brought down in the box as he ran through, but the referee waved play on.

They then made their fourth sub, Jack Maskell coming on for Bakre on 72 minutes.

Southport created the next real chance, a left foot shot by sub Arthur Gnahoua from the edge of the box that Jameson saved at full stretch.

Southport nearly scored from a corner on 79 minutes. The ball dropped for Lloyd, whose fierce shot was cleared off the line by Scott Barrow, then in Southport’s next attack, Jameson saved well from Lunt.

Jameson then made another good save from Lloyd’s well hit shot from the edge of the box.

Quakers won a free kick on the edge of the area for a foul on Hatfield on 87 minutes, but Kelly drove the ball into the wall.

Barrow was booked for a foul on 88 minutes which sparked some scuffling between players of the two sides.

Late in the game, Maskell had a header deflected wide

Full time Southport 0 Darlington 0

Team: Jameson, Hedley, Lees, Forbes (sub Griffiths 52), Barrow, Platt, Hatfield, Flint (sub Kelly 62), Bakre (sub Maskell 72), Main, Cornish (sub Hetherington 62)

Subs: Rivers,

Yellow: Hetherington 70, Kelly 75 Maskell 81, Barrow 88

Southport

Renshaw, Doyle, Lunt, Knight-Percival, Lloyd, Angus (sub Evans 67), Quansah, Moore, Hilton (sub Gnahoua 67) , Minihan, Philiskirk

Subs: Morgan, Carver, Burgess