Jim Bentley has urged Southport to build on their recent run of form and “embrace every game” as they host Hereford.
The Sandgrounders made it two wins out of three with a hard-earned win away at Scarborough Athletic on Tuesday. Tyler Walton’s looping header was the difference against the playoff chasers to bounce back from their weekend defeat to Chorley.
It was a disappointing display from Southport against their rivals, in difficult conditions, as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to the Magpies.
Bentley described the game as the ‘story of their season’ as he bids to make it three wins in four.
He told Off The Park: “Up until the first goal on Saturday, it wasn’t too bad, we were in the game, we created chances and they had a few. It’s been the story of our season, we just haven’t defended those key moments and we’ve conceded too many goals, we have a spell of doing okay and then slip back into errors in key moments.
“It was disappointing to lose the game against Chorley in the manner we did then you find yourself with a long journey on Thursday against Scarborough, one of the best teams in the league and around the playoffs.
“In the first-half, we were excellent, defended when we had to, scored a great goal in the second-half and then after that it was a little bit back to the wall.
“We come through in the end, rode our luck but I think we deserved it because it’s evaded us at times in games that we haven’t won or drawn. I’m pleased to get over the line, if you look over the last three games, it’s two wins over playoff-chasing sides.”
The win over Scarborough moved Southport three points clear of the drop zone and with King’s Lynn Town’s 3-1 win away at Brackley Town, the triumph came with an added significance.
Hereford visit the Big Help Stadium this weekend looking to inflict defeat on Southport and reassert themselves as playoff contenders. The Bulls are two points away from the playoffs with two wins, two defeats and two draws from their last six.
Bentley wants his side to maintain the momentum that they’ve earned from their recent wins. Luke Burgess could be in contention for a place in the starting 11 before his ban begins following a red card in midweek, meanwhile there was a boost at the back with Adam Anson returning to training.
“We’ve got to embrace every game, Hereford at home, they’re in decent form and it’s a tough game, that’s what our focus is on,” the 47-year-old added. “We have played a lot of tough sides recently, all play-off chasing sides and now, we’re coming up against teams who are maybe out of the picture. We’ll concentrate on the next game and try get a win, build a bit of momentum to go on an unbeaten run.”
Edgar Street was the stage for Bentley’s first win as Southport manager in August thanks to Marcus Carver’s goal. A lot has changed during that period with the Port boss winning manager of the month in November after a solid start to life in the dugout, before a slump in results.
Reflecting on his first 25 matches in charge, the former Morecambe boss says he is pleased with the foundations that have been put in place.
He said: “From where we where, rooted to the bottom of the table when we last played Hereford, we were seven points from safety and we’re not away from danger now by any stretch.
“We’re in a far better position than what we were, that’s pleasing but there’s a lot of work to be done. If someone said at the start: ‘you are going to win one, lose one with the odd draw in there,’ I’d have taken it from where we’re at.
“Although the form was better when we first took over to now, it can happen and soon turn on its head as we’ve seen.
“We have to take the positives from it, we’re doing okay, there’s more to come hopefully and more work to be done certainly. Hopefully we can move further away from the difficult position of the bottom four.”
[Featured image: Julia Urwin – Southport FC]
