Match Report. Southport 3 Brackley Town 1

Whoever keeps saying football is a funny old game should have been at this one because if ever a game deserved that saying this was it.

Brackley opened very brightly and deservedly took the lead on 11 minutes through Danny Newton with a well taken goal after fine work down the right by Riccardo Calder.

Southport did come more into the game as the half wore on and could have equalised from a corner which caused a scramble in the goalmouth and the ball was hacked away to safety.

The turning point came in the 58th minute when Marcus Carver saw red for a second yellow card in the space of 6 minutes, it looked a harsh decision at the time.

The card seemed to galvanise the home side and in the 85th minute the efforts were rewarded when Harry Flowers headed home from a corner and we all thought it would be a great point against a side that don’t conceded many goals.

The lads had other ideas when Josh Hmami hit a shot from out wide that eveaded everyone and crept into the Brackley goal to give Southport the lead.

Southport were not finished and it was a great moment for Jordan Archer, returning from injury, who latched on to hesitancy in the Brackley defence and slotted home to the delight of the bouyant Southport fans.

With 85 minutes on the clock and down to 10 men nobody could have predicted what was to come in those final few minutes but….. football is a funny game!

Line Up: Renshaw, Doyle, Flowers, Hockenhull, Arthur (Archer), Heath (Thomson), Philliskirk, Hmami, Carver, Russ (Bennett 46), Walton.

Southport Brewery Sponsored Man Of The Match receiving the Adam Le Roi Trophy and chosen by the Vic Presidents was the outstanding Josh Hmami, back to his very best today

Attendance 754