Southport 0 Exeter City 3.

Saturday 17 September 2005.

A visit to Sandgrounders 

by Paul Palmer
- City fan exiled in Burnley

So, Saturday, 17th September 2005. Exeter City's first visit to Haig Avenue, home of Southport Football Club, since January 1977 when City drew 1-1, and my first ever visit to the 'Sandgrounders' stadium. This turned out to be a particularly good day to go and watch Exeter play as Mrs Paul and I were in the middle of an almost total redecoration of our house, and the chance to have a day off from paint fumes was not going to be missed!

At lunchtime on Saturday, with the smell of white spirit and gloss paint still in my nostrils, I left Liz painting - well, contemplating painting, and set off under darkening skies for the seaside! Just an hour and several showers later I arrived in Haig Avenue, found a nice parking space not five minutes walk from the ground and was walking into Southport's Social Club, housed under the main Grandstand.

With fifteen minutes to go we made our way out of the Social Club, around to the open terrace of the Blowick End for away fans and paid the very reasonable tenner admission price. This season, Southport are celebrating playing at Haig Avenue for 100 years, but the ground looks like one of the better ones in the Conference and had what looked like a beautiful playing surface.

To the far end of the ground is the Jimmy Carr Stand, a covered terrace for the home fans, while to our left, the Popular Side uncovered terrace ran the length of the pitch. On our right was the imaginatively titled Grandstand, a relatively modern single tiered seated, errr, grandstand!

Another interesting fact is that apparently Haig Avenue has the oldest floodlights in the country! By the time the two teams ran out under the overcast and windy Lancashire skies, a very healthy 350 or so travelling Exeter fans had amassed on the chilly terraces and roared the Grecians (who for some reason were in their change strip??) onto the pitch.

The game kicked off with City playing into the stiff wind, a feature that Southport were obviously used to as they started to play some nice football on the ground, although all too often, the final pass was either wayward, or the intended player was caught offside by City's amazingly organised offside trap.

The Grecians started to find their feet, with Craig Farrell looking dangerous and it was he who had City's best chances in the first half. The first being a snap shot from the edge of the area which was comfortably saved by Dickinson in the Southport goal and his second effort another shot from a wider angle which had Dickinson beaten but just whistled over the bar.

At the other end Southport were looking increasingly dangerous and after several good half chances, Southport nearly took the lead in injury time when the ball was whipped in and the Southport number 11, Steve Daly rose unchallenged at the far post, but luckily his header hit the top of the crossbar and went over. Shortly after that the ref, Mr Matadar blew for half time and Exeter went in somewhat lucky to still be on level terms after failing to get a foothold in the game.

Half time, and a chance to have a look at Southport's programme, 'Sandgrounder'. Compared to a lot of the programmes that I have seen in the Conference this isn't a bad read, with some interesting articles and good photos. As seems to be the norm for a lot of clubs, it is smaller in size than our own 'Grecian', but it is all in colour, unlike one or two I could mention!

The second half was barely a minute old when Challinor hurled a long throw into the Southport penalty area, and after a defensive mis-kick, Craig Farrell swivelled and hooked the ball into the corner off the net through a melee of players from about 10 yards out to give City the lead.

Hardly another minute later and Farrell sent Lee Phillips through although the 'keeper seemed favourite to get to the ball first. However both men arrived at the same time and as Dickinson went down to smother the ball, it rebounded off him, onto Phillips chest and rolled into the empty net! Lady Luck must certainly fancy Mr Phillips!!

By now Southport seemed shell shocked and were on the ropes awaiting the knockout punch, and it duly arrived five minutes later when Phillips returned the compliment for Farrell to outpace the defence and place a low hard shot across Dickinson and into the far corner! Still City attacked and on several occasions came close - Phillips nearly scored with a lob over the keeper from out on the left after a defensive mix up between Earl Davis and Dickinson presented him with the ball, but his effort just drifted wide. Substitute Craig Watkins nearly scored with his first touch, but during a goal mouth scramble the ball just wouldn't come out from under his feet,

Andy Taylor had a drive that flashed inches over the bar and Scott Hiley had a curling effort from the edge of the box well saved. To give Southport credit, they hadn't given up and still looked quite dangerous going forward but just couldn't find the killer ball. As the final whistle went, Grecian fans were still shaking their heads in disbelief at the total turnaround of the game talk about a game of two halves!!

So, another great Grecian Northern away day three more points, another clean sheet and home by 6pm! The next one? Well, before that, I'll have a visit to my parents which amazingly coincides with the two home games against Burton Albion and Woking, but then, it's the legend that is the day out at York City! Dare you miss it? Nope thought not!! Oh, and by the way,

Alex, can I have some of what you give the players at half time, please?! Up The City!

BBC Summary and information 
Southport had the better of the first half but Carl Baker and Terry Fearns failed to take advantage. Craig Farrell fired Exeter ahead just after half time and Lee Phillips doubled the lead moments later after being set-up by Farrell. Phillips returned the favour and passed for Farrell to crash home Exeter's third as the Grecians maintained top spot in the Nationwide Conference.

Southport: Dickinson, Lane, Davis, Fitzhenry, Fitzgerald, Baker (Booth 75), Pickford (McGinn 79), Morley (Lynch 71), Krief, Daly, Fearns.

Subs Not Used: Speare, Kilbane.

Booked: Fitzhenry, Pickford.

Exeter: Paul Jones, Hiley, Sawyer, Todd, Billy Jones, Challinor (Taylor 64), Cronin, Buckle, Scully, Phillips (Flack 77), Farrell (Watkins 82).
Subs Not Used: Rice, Gaia.

Goals: Farrell 46, Phillips 48, Farrell 56.

Attendance  1,423

Referee M Matadar (Lancashire).