Top scorer Stephen Walker nets double as Scarborough Athletic sink visitors Southport 2-0
A third successive win for Boro as a Ste Walker brace secured a 2-0 home victory against a battling Southport side to leave them fourth in National League North after six games.
After the fluent, flowing football of recent matches, this time Jono Greening’s side worked hard to grind out the win as they maintained their excellent start to the season, picking up a first clean-sheet in the process.
The opening stages were end to end, Jordan Slew twice volleyed wide for the visitors, then Momodou Touray passed forward to Danny Lloyd, who raced into the area, but Jake Hull’s sliding tackle halted his run. For Boro, an Alex Brown free-kick into the box was headed wide by Hull, Walker passed out to Brown who cut from the left into the box, but Teddy Lavelle kicked clear, then keeper Chris Renshaw saved a shot on the turn from Luca Colville.
Boro went ahead when Brown crossed into the goalmouth from the left, and Kieran Weledji laid off to Walker, who skilfully placed his shot into the top right corner.
The visitors fought back, but centre-backs Hull and skipper Will Thornton, and keeper Ryan Whitley won all the high balls. Callum Edwards teed up Touray, who blazed over, and Slew fired into the side-netting.
Boro went close just before the interval as Hull glanced a header wide from a Brown cross.
The lively Lloyd drilled a 30-yard free-kick over, and Callum Edwards fired into the chest of Whitley early in the second half.
Boro then took control, Weledji’s low ball into a crowded area was kicked clear by Paul Murphy-Worrell, who also blocked a fierce Rio Allan shot.
Walker latched onto a long kick upfield from Whitley and shrugged off two challenges before laying off to Alex Purver, who was tackled by Tom Moore on the edge of the box.
Walker flicked on to Dom Tear, whose pass sent Alex Wiles racing through, but Lavelle got in a tackle, then a long throw into the box from Brown was headed into the arms of Renshaw by Hull.
Purver teed up Weledji, whose shot was blocked by Moore, but the second goal arrived when Purver passed out to Green, who raced into the area and was brought down, with Walker sending Renshaw the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Southport tried to respond, Jordan Keane had a shot blocked by Thornton, a Lloyd overhead kick was held by Whitley, and Ben Collins and Keane both shot wide.
Boro could have added a late third, when Lewis Maloney chipped forward to Richie Bennett, who fired into the chest of Renshaw.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Allan (Green 70), Tear (Maloney 74), Walker (Duckworth 75), Wiles (Bennett 82), Colville, unused subs - Romero, Gibson-Booth.
SOUTHPORT - Renshaw, Lavelle, Murphy-Worrell, Moore (c), Pickles, Collins, Slew (McKenzie 57), Lloyd (Burgess 83), Touray (Keane 67), Hilton (Sandison 67), Edwards (Gnahoua 57), unused subs - Tabone, Tucker.
REFEREE - Harry Jones.
GOALS - Stephen Walker 26, 77 (pen).
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 9 (5 on target) SOUTHPORT 10 (2 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 4 SOUTHPORT 4.
OFFSIDES - BORO 0 SOUTHPORT 4.
YELLOW CARDS - Alex Wiles (Boro), Danny Lloyd, Jordan Keane (Southport).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Stephen Walker.
ATTENDANCE - 884.