SPORTS: Southport FC boss Gary Brabin uses Senior Cup to try out fresh ideas

Sandgrounders slip to 2-0 defeat in Lancashire Senior Cup tie with League 2 Bury at Haig Avenue

Goals at the start and finish of the match proved to be the difference as Southport FC were beaten by football league side Bury in the Lancashire Senior Cup quarter final.

Having seen off Oldham Athletic in the previous round, the Sandgrounders were unable to find a way past a team representing a Football League club again.

Anthony Dudley struck early on before Khalid Mohammed added a second in stoppage time as a Bury side made up mostly of squad players and youngsters made it through to the last four.

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Southport manager Gary Brabin used the match to give game-time to a number of players who find themselves on the fringes of the first team while also trying a number of positional changes.

On the back of his first full match since recovering from a hamstring injury, Micah Evans completed another 45 minutes, while on-loan goalkeeper Liam Roberts was handed his first start, alongside Matt Challoner, Jonny Lynch and Paul Smith.

Luke George, the stand-in captain, reverted to the centre of the defence.

It took only three minutes for Bury to take the lead, Dudley finding space on the edge of the area before taking the ball towards goal and sending a firmly-struck drive past the dive of keeper Roberts and inside the near post.

Although the visitors enjoyed most of the early play, Southport probably created the clearer of the few first-half chances.

Dudley showed his capabilities in the opposite penalty area when he blocked a goal-bound effort from George after the captain had met an Andy Mitchell corner.

Simon Marshall

Southport v Bury, 02/12/14. Matty Challoner. Image by Simon Marshall.

And it was another Mitchell corner directed towards George that led to a scramble from which Amadou Bakayoko, being watched by his parent club, Walsall, brought a reflex save from Bury goalkeeper Shwan Jalal.

Southport made two changes at the start of the second half, Joe Connor replacing George and Mitchell Austin coming on for Evans.

Paul Smith had a couple of long-range attempts for the Sandgrounders but he failed to properly trouble keeper Jalal.

Southport worked their way into some decent positions around the edge of the box but were unable to take advantage.

Mohammed could have added to Bury’s lead, cutting inside Jonny Lynch before sending a low shot wide of the far post.

Mitchell had Southport’s clearest opportunity of the second half, getting good power behind his effort from 20 yards but Jalal saved well to his right.

Challoner also sent in a tempting cross from the right but John Marsden was unable to make contact with his head.

As it was, Bury, managed by Ben Futcher, the son of former Southport manager Paul, extended their margin of victory in the third minute of stoppage time, as Mohammed made the most of a defensive mix-up to send the ball in off keeper Roberts.

Southport: Roberts, Mitchell, George (Connor 46), McDonald, Lynch, Challoner, Joyce, Smith, Evans (Austin 46 (Kay 70)), Bakayoko, Marsden.

Subs not used: Brodie, Fitzpatrick.

Bury: Jalal, Poshca, O’Brien, Folds, Gibson, Bourne, Burgess, Dudley, Durham, Mohammed, Miller.

Subs not used: Potter, Crosdale, Wordingham, McCarthy, Ruddy.

Attendance: 108

Referee: Darren Bond

Story Source: Southport Visitor

Photos by: Southport Visitors Simon Marshall