Southport 3rds 3-56 Carnforth

Mathew Short led the way with 34 points – four tries and seven conversions – with Nathan O’Connor also adding a hat-trick of superbly taken tries.

Carnforth took the lead when a Southport clearance fell to O’Connor, he cut a superb line to run through to score the opening try, Short converted.

Southport hit back with a penalty to reduce the score but two minutes later Sam Edmondson made a superb break to cut back inside and score on his debut, Short converted.

Short then got his first try of the day as he took an interception on half way to score under the posts, which he also converted.

On the stroke of half time it was Short again who weaved his way through the defence to score his second of the half, the conversion giving Carnforth a half-time 28-3 lead.

Early in the second half, O’Connor was able to fire through for a try, Short converting, and O’Connor then scored the try of the game.

He was able to pick up just inside his own 22, it seemed like there was no danger to the Southport defence but he was able to break clear before going on a run up the pitch, bamboozling the home full back to score his hat-trick, which was again converted to increase the visitors’ advantage.

Short then burst through for his hat-trick, which was also converted, and he completed the scoring with the final try of the game to make it 56-3.