Southport 0 FC Halifax 1: Shaymen leave it late to move clear of drop zone

Shaquille McDonald came off the bench to seal the win and move the Shaymen out of the relegation zone.

Miller, who took charge of the side in the absence of Jim Harvey, serving a one-game stadium ban, said: “It was fantastic. It couldn’t have gone any better, a goal in the last minute, a clean sheet – it’s a fantastic three points.

“I thought the chance had gone when Peni (Richard Peniket) went through. He said their lad had hold of his shirt so it could have been a penalty, but Shaq (McDonald) came up with that great finish.

“There wasn’t much football being played. The state of the pitch wasn’t great, but we dug in, we battled, we put bodies on the line.

“Just before we scored Bolts (James Bolton) made a fantastic block. That’s a match-turning block.”

The Southport starting line-up only had 11 league goals between them this season and it showed, for what they possessed in enthusiasm and effort they lacked in guile and creativity.

Nicky Wroe’s low drive on the hour mark, held by Southport goalkeeper Max Crocombe, was a rare effort on target.

But Josh Macdonald’s cross was turned in by McDonald to settle the game and lift Halifax a point clear of trouble.

Southport: Crocombe, Challoner (Ryan 90), O’Brien, Nolan, Hewitt (Grimshaw 75), Blakeman, Allen, Jones, Rutherford, Wright, Bishop (Westcarr 64). Unused substitutes: Viscosi, A Jones.

FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Bolton, Brown, Bencherif, Roberts, McManus, James, Wroe (S McDonald 78), Hibbs, Hughes (J Macdonald 54), Burrow (Peniket 83). Unused substitutes: Porter, Walker.

Referee: R Jones.

Man of the match: Hamza Bencherif.

Guiseley’s home match against Wrexham was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.