Stratford Tn 0,

Southport 3

THE Merseysiders lived up to their billing as a team keen to regain Conference status although their third qualifying round hosts more than matched their lofty opponents in terms of possession but lacked a killer touch up front, writes Mervyn Collins.

The absence of Dennis Bailey was a huge blow for Derby, while Nigel Niblett's failure to shake off a hamstring problem was another crucial factor in last weekend's defeat.

Southport looked strong from the first whistle and Wayne Starkey saved from Steve Daly. Kevin Lynch then saw a 20-yarder clip the bar.

Tom Bates and the impressive Nicky Heath linked up with Geoff Amos on 18 minutes to give Paul Longthorne a glorious opening but the midfielder failed to get enough contact on the ball with only keeper Steve Dickinson to beat.

Lynch then again struck wood but it took a set-piece to unhinge the Stratford rearguard and the hosts will have been disappointed to have let Daly loose for a free header from Lynch's 28th minute flag-kick.

Southport struck a killer blow after 42 minutes when Steve Pickford was allowed the space to volley in another corner.

The visitors deserved a goal from general play and it came on the hour when Daly finished off a neat move down the left with a near post conversion.

Town made a real fist of it late on with Nicholls testing Dickinson and twice shooting wide as the consolation Stratford so richly deserved failed to materialise.