Southport 3, Darwen 0

DARWEN boss Steve Wilkes said before the game that if his team didn't get stuffed, he'd be happy.

They held for an hour thanks to an inspired performance from keeper Lee Purvis, but a Matt Atkinson own goal put the home side ahead.

And then late in the game two from Tunisian Noureddine Maamria made it comfortable for Southport.

Darwen's hopes rested on their opponents resting most of their first team but only Mike Marsh and the first choice goalkeeper were missing.

The best chance for the visitors was on five minutes when Paul Baker scuffed a half-chance from the edge of the box.

But for the rest of the game it was backs to the wall as Darwen fought off wave after wave of attack.

Robert Pell, Lee Elam, Phil Rose and Stuart Whittaker all had chances and after 25 minutes the Sandgrounders' Maamria missed the sitter of his life.

Darwen thought it could be their night but on the hour the opener went in off the head of Atkinson from a corner.

Fifteen minutes later Maamria made up for his earlier misses, scoring a tap-in and then added the third on 82 latching on to a miscued Andy Walsh header to beat Purvis one on one.