GOAL GLUT AS WEDNESDAY RIDE OUT SAND-STORM

SOUTHPORT 2 OWLS 5

Wednesday avoided slipping on the banana skin that was present at Haig Avenue, and eventually ended up winning comfortably to seal their passage to the next round of the FA Cup.

But the scoreline does not explain the bizarre game that took place. Despite conceding five, the Conference hosts, known as the Sandgrounders, were on parity twice before capitulating thanks to some shocking defending.

Only a bizarre spell of six goals in eleven second half minutes brought this dull affair to life, and ensured a meeting with Northampton in the next round.

Wednesday had opened the scoring on 11 minutes. A long throw from the right was knocked on by Tommy Miller and Clinton Morrison, and eventually ended up with Teale, who poked home at the far post.

It is fair to say that Wednesday’s defence were content to get the ball as far away as possible when in possession. Mark Beevers was the worst culprit in the first half, literally hooding the ball downfield on every occasion, most of the time to no avail.

As the half progressed, Wednesday’s stranglehold on the game increased. Shortly before half-time, they went close on a number of occasions, with Giles Coke smacking the bar from a free-kick layoff, and then Neil Mellor firing just over.

In first half stoppage time, Mellor should have made it 2-0 undoubtedly when he and Teale broke away with one defender for company. Mellor had a glorious chance to effectively kill the game off, but his scuffed effort rolled wide as the half faded out.

The game certainly livened up in the second half, with a staggering purple patch of goals. The hosts were first off the mark, when the lively Barrett, capitalised on a Jon Otsemobor header and lobbed Nicky Weaver to send the home fans into raptures.

Far from dwelling on that setback, Alan Irvine’s men took the lead almost immediately when another long throw from Spurr, came to Morrison who hit the post. The resulting rebound fell to Mellor who tapped home to make it 2-1.

The hosts bounced back again, this time instantaneously when substitute Matt McGinn took a long throw, and when it came back to him he drilled it low past a sea of bodies beyond the reach of Weaver.

The home fans and TV commentators were now sensing an upset on the cards, but just as the tide was turning, Wednesday finally hit top gear, smashing in three goals in four minutes to secure their Hillsborough date with the Cobblers.

First, Morrison poached a brace in quick succession with a typical striker-in-the-box double, before Tommy Spurr added the icing on the cake with a thunderous effort that rendered the remaining 25 minutes a foregone conclusion.