It’s the first home game of a new year and we’re only 4 wins away from a trip to Wembley in this competition, and the first one of these needs to come against National League North Southport who will be making their first visit to Roots Hall since 4/3/78.
Whilst we were buoyed by six points and two clean sheets from our brace of games over the festive period, our visitors on Saturday also had two clean sheets in their games with a 2-0 win at home to Warrington on Boxing Day being followed by a goalless draw at Chester on New Year's Day. Their league form isn't great at the moment with only one win in their last six league games and two in their last 10, so their festive period proved a significant uptick in their results.
The Sandgrounders are managed by Jim Bentley, who was once the longest serving manager in the top four tiers of English football (when he was at Morecambe). Since Morecambe he had less successful spells at AFC Fylde and Rochdale before taking the reins at Haig Avenue in August 2023. They finished in 17th place in his first season and this year they currently sit in 15th place. They typically don't travel well and have only had two away wins from their 11 away games this season and none of those were in their last 6 away games (2 draws in that period) which puts them 2nd from bottom in the away form table for that division.
It doesn't look like there are any of their current squad with direct links to the Shrimpers, but there are few familiar names in there that we have faced in the past - most have been round the block a few times and have had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus - names like Nathaniel Knight-Percival (37), Danny Philliskirk (33), Danny Lloyd (33), Jamie Proctor (32), Marcus Carver (31) and Dior Angus (30).
Kev will have been buoyed by 2 wins and 2 clean sheets and now needs to decide whether to stick with a winning side or to rest some key players in order to give minutes to more fringe players. It would appear that Josh Walker's injury will keep him out for a while which should see Danny Waldron recalled to the squad. He thrived previously at National League North level and had a goal and an assist when he last played against Southport for Rushall Olympic in November 2023.
So who would you choose to start in the first home game of 2025 and what do you predict the result will be?
Whilst we were buoyed by six points and two clean sheets from our brace of games over the festive period, our visitors on Saturday also had two clean sheets in their games with a 2-0 win at home to Warrington on Boxing Day being followed by a goalless draw at Chester on New Year's Day. Their league form isn't great at the moment with only one win in their last six league games and two in their last 10, so their festive period proved a significant uptick in their results.
The Sandgrounders are managed by Jim Bentley, who was once the longest serving manager in the top four tiers of English football (when he was at Morecambe). Since Morecambe he had less successful spells at AFC Fylde and Rochdale before taking the reins at Haig Avenue in August 2023. They finished in 17th place in his first season and this year they currently sit in 15th place. They typically don't travel well and have only had two away wins from their 11 away games this season and none of those were in their last 6 away games (2 draws in that period) which puts them 2nd from bottom in the away form table for that division.
It doesn't look like there are any of their current squad with direct links to the Shrimpers, but there are few familiar names in there that we have faced in the past - most have been round the block a few times and have had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus - names like Nathaniel Knight-Percival (37), Danny Philliskirk (33), Danny Lloyd (33), Jamie Proctor (32), Marcus Carver (31) and Dior Angus (30).
Kev will have been buoyed by 2 wins and 2 clean sheets and now needs to decide whether to stick with a winning side or to rest some key players in order to give minutes to more fringe players. It would appear that Josh Walker's injury will keep him out for a while which should see Danny Waldron recalled to the squad. He thrived previously at National League North level and had a goal and an assist when he last played against Southport for Rushall Olympic in November 2023.
So who would you choose to start in the first home game of 2025 and what do you predict the result will be?
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