Notts County manager Bill Dearden was a not a happy man after watching his side comprehensively beaten by Southport in the first round of the FA Cup.
Dearden, appointed at Meadow Lane 11 months ago commented: "It was the worst defeat of my managerial career. When we went 2-0 up with 10 men I thought that we would win comfortably. But Southport exploited their numerical advantage very well in the second half & thoroughly deserved their victory." Southport, fourth in the Nationwide Conference made the start which they feared, conceding a goal after just eight minutes.
Chris Lane sliced a clearance on the edge of his penalty area and the ball went to Danny Allsopp, who went through unchallenged to beat Kevin Welsby with a shot from 15 yards.
The turning point was in the 36th minute when Darren Caskey was sent off following a flare-up with Neil Gibson. Gibson retaliated after being fouled by Caskey, who then appeared to hit him in the face.
Referee Andy Penn quickly stepped in and showed Caskey, who has not previously been booked a red card, while Gibson was fortunate to escape without even a yellow card against him.
Five minutes after the loss of Caskey, Allsopp scored again and this like the first goal was a gift from the opposition.
He dispossessed Martin Clark midway inside of the Southport half, ran through unchallenged and steered the ball home.
To their credit Southport came back to reduce the lead less than a minute later. The visiting defence failed to clear a bouncing ball and veteran Steve Whitehall headed it on to Steve Pickford who hammered it past Stuart Garden from close range.
In the second half the loss of Caskey took its toll on the visitors and Southport did most of the attacking.
It took a quick dash off his line by Welsby to help prevent Allsopp recording his hat-trick in the 64th minute.
Allsopp had dragged the ball away from the goalkeeper but a challenge by Lane forced him to delay his shot and Clark was able to get back to head off the line.
By that time Southport were level with Pickford again on target this time with a chip over the head of the advancing Garden after being set up by Whitehall.
Southport took the lead for the first time 15 minutes from the end when sub Peter Thomson fired home a fierce crossshot after a pass from Pickford had opened up the visiting defence.
Finally in stoppage time Lane made sure that County were dead and buried with a fourth goal.
This one was made by Thomson cross from the left which was hammered home by Lane from 15 yards