Southport 2 Vauxhall Motors 1

MOTORS’ dreams of cup progress were ended for a third time this season by Southport on Tuesday.

After narrow defeats to the Sandgrounders in the FA Cup and Setanta Shield, Vauxhall were beaten in an FA Trophy third qualifying round replay at Haig Avenue. The replay was required after Motors turned in a battling home performance on Saturday to secure a 0-0 draw.

After a dour start on Tuesday, Motors took the lead with a 27th-minute strike from Karl Noon after he latched on to a long through ball, rounded the keeper and hit the ball into an empty net.

But the visitors were dealt a killer blow when Southport equalised in first half injury time. Southport’s Ciaran Kilheeny prodded home when the ball bounced to him from a free kick, but there was a suggestion that he may have handled the ball in his attempts to control it.

Three minutes into the second half, Vauxhall captain Matty Burke struck the side of the far post with a free kick from just outside the area. The goalkeeper was rooted to the spot but Southport managed to scramble the ball out of danger.

On 64 minutes, the home side took the lead when the ball came in from the left and Tony Gray headed home from eight yards.

Southport failed to capitalise on two more glorious chances to kill the game off before, in the 89th minute, Burke was inches away from forcing the game into extra time but his driven shot from 25 yards out glanced the top of the crossbar.

Club chairman Alan Bartlam said: “Our tale of woe continues.

“We felt a little aggrieved that we haven’t got a little bit of luck going for us. They’ve only just done us on every occasion.”

Due to injuries and cup-tied players, Motors were able to name only two substitutes.

Carl Macauley’s men are away to Workington tomorrow (3pm).