Liam’s delight with ‘outrageous’ victory

• Southport Visiter
• 11 Aug 2022
• BY TERRY OWEN

SOUTHPORT manager Liam Watson was thrilled to kick off the National League North season with an exhilarating 5-3 win at Boston United.

Goals from Connor Woods, Jordan Archer (2), Dylan Vassallo and Jack Doyle ensured the points came home on the opening day, having gone in at the break with a commanding 0-3 lead.

And after an encouraging summer programme, Watson had a strong feeling his players could make an impact at the Jakemans Community stadium.

He said: “I knew we’d cause them problems on the break.

“Obviously it was quite aggressive to go with Connor, Tyler and Jordan.

“Conor set the first goal up and we took the lead when we had ten men.

“Jordan Archer got a hat-trick. He does what he does, he did what he’s always done for me.

He turns up for the games, when he doesn’t score he works his socks off and leads the line, a proper player”.

Although keen to credit Archer with bagging a treble, the player himself conceded post match that he was only on the end of two of the Port’s five goals.

But Watson was thrilled with the nature of the win.

He conintued: “We had a glorious chance to make it

6-1 but the last two goals, the lads are disappointed but

I’m not, you can’t take it away.

“Tyler was cramping up, Jack Bainbridge was cramping up – it’s the first day, it’s going to take them ten games to get going.

“Boston have got the privilege of having a much bigger playing staff than we have. Declan’s out, we’ve lost Nial Bell, Michael Carberry came on, Dylan came on and scored a good goal”.

There was a point of concern when Chris Doyle had to leave the action but Watson insists it was nothing too serious.

He commented: “I think it was just blood sugar, something wasn’t right so we don’t want to take a risk.

“It could have been a big decision in the game as he’s come off and we’ve changed the shape of the team which gave us more legs in the middle of the pitch.

“We constantly say how good a group they are. They need to improve, to learn how to kill games.

“Boston have had some really good sides here in the past but we’re here to win games, not to please them.

“We had a learning curve at the back end of the season when we couldn’t turn draws into wins.

“We’ve had that but a lot of these players are a year older, a bit more experienced in the forward areas and there’s a bit more competition”.

But Watson was pleased with everyone involved.

“I thought Enoch came on and worked his socks off. It’s horrible coming on for the last 20 minutes.

“The other thing you notice with Jordan Archer which is hugely important is his height, he marks from set pieces really well.

“It was the Alamo for the last ten minutes but when we broke we

looked like we were going to score.

“The fifth goal was outrageously good and the first goal was outrageously good, great delivery for the second goal for Jordan so it’s a great start.

“You always want your first points on the board and you always want your first away win but we know we’ve got another tough game next weeks against Peterborough Sports.

As delighted as he was with the team effort, Watson was in no doubt who the stand-out performer on the day was.

He added: “If you score a hattrick in the first half then you get man of the match, and it’s a great hat-trick.

“You have to take on board the third goal – the run’s great, he’s taken it out of his feet and he still had the composure but he couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo in pre-season”!