Chester FC: Southport loss was worst in my time as Blues manager, says Neil Young

Jul 28 2011 by David Triggs, Chester Chronicle

Chester FC: Southport loss was worst in my time as Blues manager, says Neil Young

Chester FC 0 Southport 3

NEIL Young labelled Tuesday’s defeat to Southport as the worst performance he has witnessed since becoming Blues manager.

The Chester boss, who has been in the job for 14 months, knew his side came up well short against a Sandgrounders team featuring a mixture of trialists and first-teamers.

It was Chester’s first loss of their pre-season campaign.

“That’s probably the worst performance from any Chester side since I’ve been here in terms of guts and determination,” said the boss, whose frustration was compounded by first-half injuries to Michael Wilde and George Horan.

Young added: “I just think we were very poor all over. We did well for the first 15 or 20 minutes but after that, Southport dominated and could have won by more.

“I don’t mind anyone having bad games, but I felt too many of them went and hid when things didn’t go well for them. Apart from Jerome Wright, the rest were very poor.”

The visitors, who play two divisions higher than Chester in the non-league pyramid, took a deserved lead in the final minute of the first half, Matt Walwyn volleying home from the edge of the box.

Steve Daly was officially credited with Southport’s second goal on 56 minutes – even though the ball looked to deflect into the net off a Chester player from Matty McGinn’s dangerous free-kick.

Sub Jack McCormack rounded off the victory with 20 minutes to go, blasting a fierce right-footed drive beyond John Danby.

Chester: Danby, Stones, Marsh-Evans, Horan (Brownhill 20), Taylor, Powell (Barnes 69), Wright, Brown (A Williams 61), Rainford (Simm 61), Wilde (Reed 20), Baynes (Booth 46). Subs: Judge.

Referee: Neil Davies (Wirral).

Attendance: 975.