Southport 1

Bradford Park Avenue 0

Avenue are still bottom of the Conference North after last night's defeat at Southport but it will remain a mystery how they failed to get something from their visit to a side who were fourth going into the game.

It was also a late night for the travellers as they had to endure a 20-minute break during the game. A floodlight failure in the first half held up the proceedings but there was no hint of an abandonment.

The Avenue players had to sit in the dressing room until repairs were carried out and then return to the pitch to warm-up for a game that was already a quarter over.

After Saturday's let-down when their game at Moor Green was called off at half- time - while they were winning 1-0 - because of a waterlogged pitch, it was blow to Avenue boss Carl Shutt.

"The referee just brought the players off the pitch and instructed us all to wait. It was 0-0 at the time but there no suggestion of the game being postponed," said

Shutt.

"Every week since I have been here I have said 'well, I've come across something I have never seen before in all my years in football' only for something else to happen to make me take that statement back.

"It is unbelievable but it just keeps happening - it's Murphy's law. We sat for 20 minutes, then the lights came back on and we had a few minutes run-out to get back up to speed for the 15 or 18 minutes that were left of the first half.

"The ref gives them a penalty which Andy Britton saves and then Southport go and score in time added on.

The 47th minute of the first half and we concede the goal that was to settle the game.

"After what we have been through there must be a run of very good fortune coming our way. If it doesn't arrive soon there is no justice in the world." Avenue had chances to win the game but Southport, who could have gone joint top depending on other results, claimed all three points with one clinical strike.

On-loan Wigan forward David Moore went close following a free-kick and Ben Jones put a header wide.

Debutant James Riorden shot straight at the Southport keeper from nine yards out when had he directed it a foot either side he would have scored. Allan Pearce, Craig Smith and Ryan Crossley all found themselves in good positions but failed to trouble the home keeper.

"Their chairman summed it up for me when he admitted after the game that his club had got out of jail, but I'm sick of hearing that from the opposition," said the frustrated Shutt.