Over two thousand people turned up at Haig Avenue on Tuesday night in anticipation of Southport gaining the win that would earn them the Blue Square North championship.
Without a single home defeat all season and with Alfreton Town already guaranteed a play-off spot surely a home victory was a formality, especially when a soft penalty award put Southport in front in the 19th minute.
But the Reds had simply not re
ad the script and outplayed their hosts to record possibly their best win of the season, 3-1, drawing commendable comments from the numerous Merseyside reporters present in the process.
Just 25 seconds had elapsed when Alfreton made their intentions clear, Jake Moult laying off the ball to Chris Shaw on the left with Liam Hearn firing over from 18 yards.
A Hearn flick on from Moult's sixth minute through-ball saw Paul Clayton dwell a moment too long with a good chance on offer, then two minutes later Ian Ross was only inches off target with a 25 yard free-kick.
Southport defender Earl Davis was forced to insert a vital tackle as Moult's superb ninth minute through-ball released Hearn on a run at goal.
Then in the Sandgrounders' first attack in the 17th minute Ciaran Kilheeney dragged the clearest of chances wide from Chris Simm's pass.
Two minutes later the stadium erupted as Matty McGinn smashed home a penalty after Kyle McFadzean had been very harshly adjudged to have handled as a Davis header rebounded from the crossbar, just seconds after Michael Powell had hammered the ball against the crossbar from 10 yards.
Hearn went close with an angled drive in the 22nd minute, then following a left flank move three minutes later, Clayton was suddenly presented with a chance from 22 yards that he buried in the back of the net before home keeper Tony McMillan could even react and the Reds were deservedly level.
McMillan saved a Clayton volley from Moult's 30th minute cross, then seven minutes after the break Hearn's 15 yarder was held by the Southport goalkeeper.
But the Reds were ahead just one minute later.
Hearn provided the pass from the left with Moult cutting in before unleashing an unstoppable drive that swerved around McMillan from the edge of the area.
Then in a similar move on 65 minutes McMillan managed to palm Moult's shot behind and McFadzean's header from the ensuing Ross corner was only just wide.
McGinn headed wide from what was a rare Southport attack in the 68th minute, then with eight minutes remaining the issue was put beyond doubt when Anton Brown forced the ball out to sub Andy Todd on the right and his pinpoint cross was headed in by Clayton at the far post to send the handful of Reds' fans delirious.
Simm's volley was repelled by the post in the 84th minute, then moments later Ross Turner blocked Ashley Winn's shot with his legs, but it was too little too late for the home side who must now endure a tricky last game at Eastwood on Saturday still needing a win to claim the coveted title.
ALFRETON: Turner; Law (Wilson 90+2), Shaw, Flint, McFadzean, Ross, Moult, Brown, Clayton, Hearn, J.Hall (Todd 79). Subs not used: North, Wilson, Bowler.
ATTENDANCE: 2,021.
