SOLIHULL MOORS 4-0 SOUTHPORT: A VIEW IN VERSE...

Moorlanders Over Sandgrounders

A wardrobe malfunction, a clash of colours,

An error by Southport’s administration,

Meant the luminous yellow jerseys of the Sandgrounders

Were replaced by Solihull’s obsolete red away shirts,

Which clashed with their shorts: an aberration…

The live TV coverage heightened expectation,

But no names or numbers were on Southport backs,

So that the players looked like interlopers

At Solihull’s green carpet film premiere,

Meant to roll over, lose and be lax…

A linesman played his part by waving his flag

For offside against the Sandgrounders twice,

Although TV replays proved that the nervous fellow

Had erred both times, maybe denied ‘Port a goal

And so of luck the guests were offered no slice…

The Moors possessed a really long thrower,

Southport were thus put under some pressure

And inevitably, eventually, the tactic worked, 

So that Asante’s boot rolled in a goal, 

Then he added two more for good measure…

Solihull benefited from Southport’s ineptness,

Proving unable to stem the hosts’ midfield flow,

Where Osborne, Beswick and Byrne flourished,

Their forwards to serve, to provide and support

And rend the Sandgrounders lethargic and slow…

Errors by opponents offered the Moors two more goals,

A fourth stemmed from a Byrne pass in midfield; 

Goals 2, 3 and 4 were scored on the counter,

As Southport flailed and failed to defend

And ‘keeper Norman was offered no shield…

Asante was naturally clutching the match-ball,

Whilst being interviewed live on TV quite impressed, 

Whilst Norman, the first-half Southport hero,

By then hampered by an injured finger,

No doubt left Damson Park quite distressed…

Steve Burr appears to have a tough job ahead,

To turn round his team’s abject beginning

But knowing him as I do, this genial character

Will work like a Trojan, get his players on board

And once again be seen proud and wide-grinning…   

Pete Ray

October 2016