Two late goals in the space of six minutes helped Chester FC snatch three points at Southport having been on course for a third straight defeat

It was the introduction of Craig Mahon with 61 minutes gone that turned the game as the winger showed he is coming back to the form that made him a star of last season.

Make no mistake, there's still a significant amount of work to do for Steve Burr, but he and the fans saw a team willing to fight for the cause, and the dramatic turnaround will provide a timely confidence boost.

Southport took the lead nine minutes before half-time through Louis Almond and that looked like it would be enough for the three points as the Blues toiled, but Michael Kay levelled with 11 minutes remaining and Mahon then got the winner in the 85th minute with a helping hand from ex-Wrexham keeper Andy Coughlin, relieving some of the tension recent results and performances have created.

Talking points

Craig Mahon: It's been a difficult season to date for the Irishman as he has struggled with niggles and the frustration of not performing at the level he reached last term. However, there were signs he was coming back to himself before he missed the last couple of games and his cameo here was another step in the right direction. His quick feet, directness and speed had Southport panicking and changed the game so he'll be a surefire starter at the weekend.

Formation: Heading into game I suggested three at the back was something worth considering so it was even more intrigued than most to see how it fared. The answer is there was enough there to suggest it might be worth preserving with, although areas that need obvious work. Chapell and Thomson both struggled to make an impression, while the midfield cried out for someone to fight and scrap for second balls. It's difficult to gauge how successful the experiment was with Luke George unavailable and too many players still not performing to the standards expected.

Match facts

Chester FC : Worsnop, Heneghan, Sharps, Kay, Higgins (Mahon 61), Shaw, Thomson (Richards 61), Rooney, Hunt, Chapell (Hobson 77), Hannah.

Subs: Forth, Hughes.

Goals: Kay 79, Mahon 85.

Booked: Higgins, Kay, Rooney, Richards.

Southport: Coughlin, Jones (Thompson 65), Foster, Wright, Phenix, Nolan, Joyce, Almond, Stockton, Bishop (Rutherford 77)

Subs: Viscosi, Allen, Blakeman.

Goal: Almond 36.

Booked: Jones, Foster.

Referee: Adrian Holmes (Castleford)

Attendance: 1,326 (407 from Chester).

Star man: Craig Mahon.

Verdict

It wasn't pretty but when you're in the kind of form Chester have been in, even the ugliest three points will be welcomed with open arms.

Southport will be asking themselves how what should have been a much-needed win turned into a defeat and the answer is a combination of Craig Mahon, Andy Coughlin and a fragile confidence.

Once the Blues got themselves level through Michael Kay, there was a seismic shift in the game and it was the hosts who started to wobble.

Burr, his players and the fans who turned out in excellent numbers again won't kid themselves that this win means the struggle is over but it's a step in the right direction.