On This Day – 4th October

On this day in 1997 it was one for the record books as Southport picked up a remarkable 5-3 away win at Welling. As if the scoreline wasn’t enough to make this game standout, it was the hat-trick of own goals scored by Welling that really set this one apart….especially as two of them were scored by Southport-born Steve Perkins – son of former Southport manager Russ!

WELLING UNITED 3 – 5 SOUTHPORT 

Competition: League / Conference
Date: 04/10/1997
Attendance: 613

Southport Line-Up: Billy Stewart, Paul Futcher, Andy Farley, Tim Ryan, Phil Bolland, Ged Kielty, Kevin Formby, Brian Butler, John Deary, Andy Whittaker, Paul Mitten,  
Subs: David Gamble, Paul Jones (Kevin Formby), Dave Thompson (Paul Mitten)
Goals: John Deary, Perkins (OG), Perkins (OG), Knight (OG), Ged Kielty

After last Tuesday’s FA Cup replay defeat at the hands of Isthmian League Sutton United, the Kent side Welling United were looking forward to a change of fortunes on their return to GM Vauxhall Conference action at home to Southport.

After all, having beaten Stalybridge, Slough and Stevenage in quick succession to establish themselves in mid table, they seemed to have the Indian sign over teams starting with the letter “S”.

So Saturday’s 5-3 home defeat came as something of a shock, not least because Kevin Hales’ team gave away a staggering three own goals.

“It was incredible,” spokesman Paul Carter said, “not least because the game had started with two cracking goals in the first seven minutes and was well balanced at 1-1.”

Then, however, in 21 minutes of madness, Welling handed Southport a 4- 1 lead without one of their opponents getting on the scoresheet.

“First John Farley tried to make a clearance only for the ball to go in off goalkeeper Glen Knight’s back,” Carter said. “Then Steve Perkins stuck his foot out to intercept a cross and crashed the ball in off the underside of the bar.

“But the third one capped the lot. Paul Futcher chipped the ball down the middle and Steve thought he would knock it back safely to Glen with a little, cushioning header. What he didn’t know was that the keeper was right behind him, wanting to claim the ball himself. It went right over his head and rolled over the line.”

Poor Perkins stayed on the field for just eight more minutes before Hales ended his miserable afternoon, sending on another striker in the hope of salvaging something from the match.

It almost worked as Welling hit back with two rapid second-half goals but Southport scored again to clinch a 5-3 victory that will almost certainly find a way into the Conference record books.

The Independent

Players Born On This Day

Players Who Died On This Day

Transfers on this Day

No transfers On this day in history