Southport held to a draw after a hard-fought battle with Boston United

Southport come from behind to secure a point against Boston United.

The first big chance of the game fell to Southport in the 19th minute as Connor Heath headed a Niall Watson cross goalwards only to be denied by Cameron Gregory at full stretch.

Less than a minute later Boston thought they had scored one of their own as Billy Chadwick’s free-kick from just outside the box smashed against the underside of the crossbar before bouncing down onto the goalline but failing to cross it.

Chadwick would leave no-such doubts with his next effort as his speculative shot from 25-yards took a nasty deflection off of the leg of Chris Doyle, wrong-footing goalkeeper Tony McMillan and nestling into the box of the Port net to give the visitors from Lincolnshire the lead.

Boston could have doubled their lead just moments later as a clever one-two on the edge of the box between Chadwick and Sam McLintock set the latter free to fire a venomous shot that stung the palms of McMillan.

However, it would be Southport that would strike next as Tyler Walton’s cross was parried by Gregory straight into the path of Niall Watson, the winger reacting quickly to shape his body and head into the empty net and restore parity between the two sides.

The second half failed to reproduce the fireworks of the first as both sides created little in way of clear-cut chances. The best opportunity of the second period fell to Southport on the hour mark as Connor Heath’s header looked destined to find the far corner of the net, only for a superb save from Gregory to deny the young striker.