TUESDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2007

SOUTHPORT 3 v 2 VAUXHALL MOTORS

BLUE SQUARE NORTH

Motors manager Andy Mutch did not enjoy the best of returns to Haig Avenue, the starting place for his illustrious career, but it could and probably should have been!

His side totally bossed the opening half of this re-arranged league fixture and with a little more luck, could easily have been more than the one goal to the good at the break.  That sole success arrived after just 6 minutes, when Dave Roberts played in hot-shot Paul Taylor, who demonstrated his lethal strike for the benefit of a posse of scouts with a superb shot from just inside the box.

The Motormen carved out other decent strikes for Taylor, Tom Field and Peter Heler, but each one was just off target, while at the other end Southport made very little impression at all.  Indeed, on the resumption, it didn’t take the hosts too long to fire in their first shot on target, an easy take for keeper Andrew Murphy, which brought a sarcastic ripple of applause from the home fans!

And on 49 minutes, the Sandgrounders were beaming having equalised so early on, having played second fiddle for so long.  Neil Robinson made great strides through the inside left channel before firing into the far corner to level the scores from the edge of the area. Now with their tails up, Southport began to show something of their real selves and it wasn’t long before Motors were relieved to see a powerful drive from the impressive former Vauxhall man Mark Duffy, rebound off the crossbar.

Motors were then indebted to debutant Lee Owens for a fantastic block on the line to deny Robinson a second.  But on 69 minutes, the visitors regained the lead, when a clever through ball from Field put Taylor away through the inside left channel and his delicate lob was just enough on it to cross the line, for his seventh goal in a week and his 15th of the season.

Six minutes later though, Southport were back on terms, when Kevin Lee headed home a perfect cross from Duffy out on the right.  Vauxhall threatened to score again when substitute Anthony Wright put Taylor in possession but this time, ‘Port keeper Richard Whiteside did enough to keep his effort out and within seconds, the hosts were celebrating taking the lead for the first time.

Mark Hotte failed to prevent a swift counter attack down the right flank and with Motors struggling to get back to cover, home substitute Karl Noon sweetly swept home, what proved to be the winner in the 86th minute to break Motors resolve.

Vauxhall: Murphy, Owens, Dames, Field, McMahon (Reed 56 – Clarke 79), Hotte, Heler, Brannan, Roberts (Wright 65), Marsh-Evans, Taylor.  Sub not used: Griffiths, Wignall.