A sensational County comeback leaves the Sandgrounders shell-shocked as the Hatters win again.
County moved level on points with Chorley at the top of the National League North table after a sensational comeback victory over Southport on a thrilling Tuesday night under the floodlights at Edgeley Park, making it 14 league games unbeaten in the process.
At one point in the first half however, it looked like the run may well end at unlucky number 13 for the Hatters, as Southport, against the run of play, took a two-goal lead just after the half-hour.
This County side, however, is not one to lie down in the face of adversity, and once Jordan Keane pulled one back on the stroke of half-time, County were dominant; the comeback, seemingly inevitable – and so it proved to be; goals from Darren Stephenson and Sam Walker capping an unforgettable night for the County faithful.
Playing their second home game in the last three days – after four weeks without one – it was an unchanged County team who started the brighter of the two teams, with Sam Minihan and Scott Duxbury finding space seemingly at will down the Southport flanks, with the former finding the near post run of Nyal Bell with a cut-back, the County number nine sending his effort narrowly wide.
Eleven minutes in, and County should have been ahead. Matthew Warburton getting to the byline before cutting it back for Walker who, charging into the penalty area, hit it first time, only to be denied brilliantly by Hanford from point-blank range.
An opening goal felt inevitable, and so it duly arrived; but not at the end many were expecting! After Adam Thomas conceded a freekick on the edge of the area, right-back Jordan Richards stepped up, and bent it around the wall and in to the far corner – not too dissimilar to Warburton’s effort at the same end just three days ago.
As County pressed forwards for an equaliser, Southport struck a sucker-punch on the counter on 30 minutes. Stephenson’s shot was charged down on the edge of the area, breaking kindly for Jordan Archer, who burst clear of the County defence, before calmly squaring for Dion Charles, who slotted home his 15th of the season. Southport, despite barely threatening, were 2-0 to the good.
County had to respond, and thought they’d pulled one back on 36 minutes, Bell stabbing home after the ball was headed back across goal by Walker, only for the flag to be raised for offside. It looked like it may just be one of those night for the Hatters.
Just as a frustrating first-half looked to be petering out, however, County struck, and what a goal it was, Jordan Keane showing superb technique as the ball broke to him on the edge of the area, his first-time effort absolutely drilled into the bottom corner for his first County goal – one he or the Cheadle End won’t forget in a hurry, as the Half-time whistle blew with optimism renewed.
HALF-TIME: County 1 (Keane, 45+1), Southport 2 (Richards, 18; Charles, 31)
With their tails up, County came flying out of the blocks in the second half and were almost level with minutes. Darren Stephenson – at his mesmeric best all evening – danced his way into the area, before the ball broke for Thomas, whose effort across goal bounced back off the far post.
County weren’t to be denied, however, and were back on terms moments later, Darren Stephenson, against his old club, arriving in the box to convert another superb Sam Minihan cross to send Edgeley Park into raptures.
The County faithful had barely stopped celebrating the equaliser before they were up on their feet again, Sam Walker completing the comeback in style with a 20-yard freekick that left Hanford clutching at thin air as it sailed into the top corner. Incredibly, it was the fourth free-kick scored at Edgeley Park in the last three days, and County’s third goal in eight minutes either side of half-time.
Far from sitting on their lead in the same manner as Southport, County continued to press forward looking to kill the game, and it looked for all the world as though Stephenson was set to score the fourth as he ran on to Thomas’ ball across goal, only to be denied by a superb last-ditch challenge by Richards with the goal gaping.
County’s lead though, never truly looked in any danger, and a huge roar of jubilation greeted the final whistle. A vital win secured in difficult circumstances. An eight successive win at Edgeley Park secured. Most importantly, another crucial three points in this pulsating title race, had been sealed.
FULL-TIME: County 3 (Keane, 45+1; Stephenson, 49; Walker, 54) Southport 2 (Richards, 18; Charles, 31).
Team: Hinchliffe, Minihan, Duxbury, Keane, Palmer (C), Baines, Thomas Walker, Bell (Mulhern, 64), Warburton (Osborne, 73), Stephenson (Turnbull, 84).
Unused Subs: Ormson, Kirby.
Man of the Match: Stephenson
Attendance: 3724
Reporter: Liam Richardson
Photographer: Mike Petch
