Southport have moved out of the National League relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over mid-table Gateshead at Gateshead International Stadium.
The hosts had the first big chance of the match in the early stages when George Honeyman played in Ryan Bowman, but the striker could not beat Max Crocombe, and the goalkeeper saved a tame effort from Honeyman as Gateshead dominated in the first quarter of the match.
Southport came the closest to opening the scoring in the first half when Louis Almond cut inside and smashed an effort off the crossbar from distance, and the former Blackpool striker came close again when he twisted past his man and fired narrowly wide of the post.
Mike Phenix cleared Gateshead captain Ben Clark's header off the line moments before the break, but Almond was the liveliest player on the pitch, and he opened the scoring 11 minutes after the restart when Paul Rutherford took a quick short corner and the striker swept past Sam Russell from the edge of the box.
Crocombe kept his side in front shortly afterwards when he made a fine reaction save to keep out Patrick McLaughlin's deflected effort, before substitute Adam Wrightson came close to a fine individual goal when he fired just over after beating three defenders as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.
Southport held on, however, to continue their mini-revival with a third win in four matches under new manager Dino Maamria and lift themselves out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Tom Nightingale
