MATCH REPORT | Southport 0 – 0 Wigan Athletic – Pre-Season

Eleven years ago, when Southport played a pre-season friendly against Wigan Athletic, they were preparing to start out under the management of Paul Cook.

Having since achieved promotions in the EFL with Chesterfield and, last season, Portsmouth, Cook was back at the Merseyrail Community Stadium on Tuesday, taking his place in the away dugout.

This summer, Southport once again find themselves at the start of a new chapter, and their preparations for the coming season continued with a creditable draw against opposition from SkyBet League One.

Despite spending large parts of the match without the ball, the Sandgrounders competed well, keeping a good shape and defending stoutly, meaning they were worthy of this result against a team from three divisions higher.

As against Blackpool on Saturday, it was the visitors who had a near-monopoly on possession, moving the ball smartly and playing the game at their own pace.

For all their control, however, Wigan were restricted to few clear chances. When Gavin Massey headed wide from an Omar Bogle cross in the opening minutes after a quick start from Cook’s team, it looked like being a long evening for Southport but the home side settled.

Goalkeeper Iain Turner twice saved from Alex Gilbey, firstly after a corner from Michael Jacobs was only partly cleared and later from a 25-yard free-kick. An errant clearance from defender Curtis Jones invited pressure on the Southport goal but Samy Morsy was unable to capitalise.

Arguably the most impressive early performer for Southport has been Andy White, the 24-year-old signing from Nantwich Town, who has provided a sense of assurance at left-wing back.

Opportunities for White to break forward have been limited in the two friendlies against superior opposition, but on 39 minutes, the ball did fall to him after making his way into an advanced position, only for his shot to be blocked by Nathan Byrne.

The Sandgrounders found it difficult to impose themselves on a physically strong Wigan defence, which was dominated by the commanding presence of Sam Stubbs and Dan Burn.

Jack Sampson did manage to win the ball and lay it off for Kaiman Anderson but the striker was unable to get a shot away.

The fact that both teams changed almost their entire line-up during the first part of the second half meant match continued in a more disjointed fashion.

As Wigan maintained their dominance, the Sandgrounders dropped deeper, but Massey’s failure to connect cleanly with a cut back from Gilbey summed up the drop in quality as the match went on.

Trialist Joel Bembo-Leta could have scored a late winner for the home team when he brought a reflex save from Wigan goalkeeper Owen Evans after latching onto a corner.

Among the second-half introductions for Southport was Steve Jennings, making his first appearance since joining from Tranmere Rovers, which was another encouraging sight as preparations continue for the new Vanarama National League North season.

Southport: Turner, Dugdale (Kpohomouh 54), C Jones, Kennedy (Bembo-Leta 69), Jackson, Kissock (Howarth 54), Roberts, Fletcher (Hynes 54), White, Anderson (Durnin 37), Sampson (Martin 69).

Attendance: 1,356

Referee: Peter Wright

Report by Alan Jones