2 minute read
ACTION REPLAY 24-28 AWAY DAYS
SQUIRES GATE 1-0 GARSTANG FC
After a scrappy start to the game, both sides hit their first shots of the afternoon well off target in the opening ten minutes Ryan Moore had a good chance on 13 minutes after good work from Mekkaoui-Abouzaid, but the midfielder was denied from a tight angle.
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Just as Gate began to set the tone for the game, a serious injury to a Garstang player just before the half hour mark brought the game to a halt for almost an hour while both clubs awaited an ambulance.
Both sides struggled to find fluidity to their game once play resumed, with a half chance a piece that were both comfortably saved by either goalkeeper the only other action before half time. Gate won a penalty on 69 minutes, with Mekkaoui-Abouzaid winning the spot kick after the midfielder was blatantly taken down in the area. Ryan Riley stepped up, but his penalty was brilliantly saved by the Garstang keeper to keep the game goalless.
Dimovski had a great chance to grab a debut goal, with the forward showing ~excellent movement to break in behind. He was denied while trying to round the keeper, with the rebound from Ball parried out for a corner.
It was from the corner though that Gate finally found the winner, with an excellent inswinging delivery from Harrison Webster headed into the bottom corner by captain Josh Westwood.
1. PENNINGTON 2. ABANKWAH 3. SHIELDS 4. CHAMBERS 5. WELSH 6. WESTWOOD © 7. RILEY 8. C. WEBSTER 9. BALL 10. MOORE 11. M-ABOUZAID
SOUTHPORT FC (p) 1-1 SQUIRES GATE
Josh Westwood had to be switched on inside the first five minutes to block a wellstruck effort from distance, before Theo Ball threatened to break away at the other end but the Southport defence recovered well.
The hosts went close to an opener on 14 minutes, poking wide from just inside the box, but did find the net just two minutes later. A low cross from the right was parried away by Pennington, but Niall Watson was on hand to tap in the rebound from close range.
Gate replied instantly though, and found an equaliser through Nathan Cliffe’s 15th goal of the season. The striker did brilliantly to hold off and beat a couple of Southport defenders, before beating the goalkeeper with a fierce strike into the bottom corner from distance. Saad Mekkaoui-Abouziad and Nathan Bartram entered the action in the closing stages in place of Moore and Ball, as Gate saw the game out to take higher-level opposition to a penalty shootout.
Dan Gray scored the first spot kick for Gate, with Southport firing their first over the bar. Ryan Riley also netted his, with Southport then pulling one back. Mekkaoui-Abouzaid clipped his penalty over the bar, with Southport keeper Mason burying his to bring the scores level. Harrison Webster and the next Southport player both scored, talking the shootout to sudden death.
The hero from the FA Vase shootout win at Emley was up next, but Nathan Bartram’s effort was saved. Southport scored their next penalty, taking the National League North high -flyers into the Third Round of the Lancashire Challenge Trophy.
