Southport 1 Darlington 0

Bainbridge 43 mins, 1-0

Attendance 871, including 147 Darlington fans

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Quakers couldn't create their chances and were beaten by a goal just before half time at Haig Avenue.

Quakers were sharper and more enterprising than Southport, but misssed some good chances and they conceded the winner just before half time. They came away wondering how they hadn't returned home with their first victory at Haig Avenue since 1970.

Southport tried a long throw into the penalty area, but it was easily dealt with by the Darlington defence.

Clever play by Mark Beck allowed Kaine Felix to run into the box on the right and set up Jacob Hazel, whose left foot shot was blocked.

Southport got a free kick about 35 yards out, but Charlie Munro’s low free kick was seen all the way by Tommy Taylor, who had plenty of time to get down and save low down to his right.

A good run by Jack Lambert saw him find Ben Hedley on the right, and the right back’s left footed cross went just over Hazel’s head.

Hazel then received a throw in on the right from Hedley, turned, and crossed into the middle but too high for Beck.

Connor Woods tried to break into the Darlington box on their left, but Wheater made a good tackle inside the area.

Lambert was penalised for a foul near his own bye line, but Hedley cleared the free kick at his near post.

Southport created a chance when Michael Carberry whipped the ball in from the left, and Jordan Archer’s flick was held by Taylor.

Alex Purver won a free kick 25 yards out for a foul, and Hazel managed to get the ball around the wall, but Southport keeper Cameron Mason held on low to his right.

Quakers thought they’d taken the lead on 34 minutes when Hedley crossed from the right for Hazel to head in at the far post but he was flagged offside.

And they had another goal disallowed for offside when Lambert put Felix through and he knocked the ball past the keeper, but again the flag went up.

Hazel then dribbled his way into the box, turned, and fired just wide.

But Southport took the lead against the run of play on 43 minutes, a corner was curled over from the right into the six yard box, and Jack Bainbridge managed to force the ball over the line.

Half time 1-0

Quakers nearly levelled at the start of the second half, when Beck turned quickly on a Jassem Sukar throw in, but he couldn’t quite a get a shot on target.

And in Quakers’ next attack, Adriano Moke whipped the ball in from the right and Mason just managed to push the ball away from Hazel.

Southport were reduced to ten men on 53 minutes when Beck went in for a 50/50 ball with Tyler Walton, who was sent off for a high challenge.

Quakers continued to put the Southport defence under plenty of pressure, and there was a chance when the busy Purver found Hazel in the area, but the striker’s effort was deflected wide.

And from Lambert’s corner, the ball went to Beck, who couldn’t get his diving header on target from six yards. 

There was another chance on 70 minutes when Felix crossed from the right for Lambert to head wide. the ball just wouldn't go in for Quakers.

Quakers thought they’d scored on 75 minutes when sub Marcus Maddison fired the ball powerfully across the face of goal, and a defender just managed to get the ball out for a corner in front of Hazel.

Maddison then made a great break down the right and crossed into the middle, but Mason just got there a fraction ahead of Mondal.

Hedley found Lambert just inside the area, and he found space to strike a low shot that Mason held at full stretch.

There was a big scramble in the box in stoppage time, but Southport managed to keep Quakers out.

Final score: Southport 1 Darlington 0

Team: Taylor, Hedley, Lawlor, Wheater, Sukar, Moke (sub Maddison 68), Purver, Lambert, Beck, Hazel (sub Mondal 85), Felix (sub Rivers 79)

Subs: Hughes, Griffiths

No bookings

Southport:

Mason, Oliver, Anson, Woods, Munro, Archer, Walton, Quansah, Vassalo, Bainbridge, Carberry

Subs: J Doyle, C Doyle, Lusiama, McMillan, Watson

Red card: Walton 53 mins

Kit sponsors season 2022-23

Tommy Taylor:   Home: Lynn Norrie and Hannah Minchin. Away: Paul and Jen Hodgson

Ben Hedley: Home: PBH Couriers. Away: Lynn and Pete Jasper

Kallum Griffiths: Home: Ron Stobbart. Away: Polam Enders

Jake Lawlor: Home: Josh Moate JTM Cricket. Away: Karl Buckle

David Wheater: Home: Mark Adams. Away: Marc Colman

Jassem Sukar. Home: Steve Rees. Away: David Steel

Junior Mondal. Home: Bandera Texas. Away: Bandera Texas

Lucas Martin: Home: Acklam Car Centre. Away: Acklam Car Centre

Adriano Moke: Home: Northallerton Tykes. Away: Paul Morris

Alex Purver: Home: Bandera Texas. Away: Bandera Texas

Jarrett Rivers: Home: Paul and Jen Hodgson. Away: Bandera Texas

Jack Lambert: Home: Joyce Park. Away: Bandera Texas

Jacob Hazel. Home: Glen and Mary Bowes Away: Craig Stoddart

Danny Rose: Home: Craig Stoddart. Away: In memory of Peter King

Mark Beck: Home: Dave Hardisty. Away: Little Quaker Distillery

Marcus Maddison: Home: Kev Luff. Away: The Rudd Family

Alfie Hughes: Home: Mike Huggon Away: Vacant

Jordan Emery: Home: Alderclad Away: vacant

Kaine Felix:  Home: vacant Away: Alderclad

Alun Armstrong training kit:  Geoff Liddle and Phill Everitt

Darren Holloway training kit: First Class Learning

Jim Provett:

Danny O’Connor: James Houghton and Friends

Mark Thistlethwaite: