Southport Fc stun Yeovil in FA Trophy quarter-final as Rowley admits 'we got what we deserved'

southport fc delivered a dramatic cup exit for Yeovil, winning an FA Trophy quarter-final on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The result sends the Merseyside hosts through and brings Yeovil's Isuzu FA Trophy campaign to an end, a defeat that manager Billy Rowley described as evidence that his team "got what we deserved. "

Match summary: Southport vs Yeovil Town — quarter-final drama

The tie finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and was decided 4-2 in the shootout. Yeovil had taken the lead through James Daly shortly before half-time, but Teddy Lavelle levelled for the hosts in the 88th minute. The match went to penalties where Southport converted four and Yeovil managed two, ending the Glovers' run in the competition.

Southport Fc: decisive late goal and composed shootout

Southport, a National League North side and the Merseyside hosts, equalised late when Teddy Lavelle drilled a low strike into the top-left corner beyond Jed Ward in the 88th minute to make it 1-1. In stoppage time a likely winner from Chris Sze was ruled out for handball, forcing the tie to penalties where Southport held their nerve.

Key moments and timeline

• Early appeals: In the eighth minute Luke Griffiths struck his arm in the Southport box; a penalty appeal was waved away.
• Near misses: James Daly had a looping header that struck the post and later capitalised on a poor back-pass from Burgess to score in the 42nd minute, giving Yeovil a 1-0 lead into stoppage time of the first half.
• Half-time change: Yeovil replaced Tahvon Campbell with Aaron Jarvis at the interval; Jarvis had travelled separately after suffering food poisoning and had begun the game on the bench following a three-match suspension.
• Goalkeeper switch: Southport were forced into a goalkeeper change early in the second half when Pickford limped off and Renshaw took over.
• Late equaliser: Teddy Lavelle scored in the 88th minute to force extra drama and eventually penalties.
• Shootout sequence: Chris Sze opened for Southport; Brett McGavin scored for Yeovil; Jordan Slew put Southport ahead; Aaron Jarvis missed for Yeovil; Luke Griffiths scored to extend Southport's lead; Jake Wannell missed over the bar; Harvey Greenslade scored for Yeovil; Danny Lloyd converted the final spot-kick to make it 4-2 and win it for the hosts.

Rowley's verdict: 'unbelievably poor' second half and squad issues

Billy Rowley was blunt after the match, calling Yeovil's second-half performance "unbelievably poor. " He said the team had been the better side in the first half but were outplayed after the interval, admitting the group did not show enough quality and that the substitutes did not help. He also noted the crowd and a difficult pitch as factors, while stressing those were not excuses for the level of performance.

Rowley confirmed squad strain: several players were cup-tied after featuring in a 3-2 league win over Sutton United earlier in the week, and Dan Ellison had been recalled from Weston-super-Mare to boost the available options. He added that some players were tired from recent extra minutes and that the collective group, including himself, must take responsibility rather than point fingers.

Aftermath for Yeovil and immediate fixtures

With the dream of a Wembley final now extinguished, Yeovil's focus returns to league duties in the National League Premier Division. A recent 3-2 win for Braintree Town at Truro City has reduced the gap to the relegation zone to five points, and Yeovil still have games in hand over all the teams below them except Gateshead, who have also played 33 times.

Yeovil will host Tamworth at Huish Park on Tuesday evening as they look to collect league points and respond to the cup disappointment. The home stadium details are Huish Park, Lufton Way, Brympton d'Evercy, Yeovil BA22 8YF.

Rowley urged solidarity and recovery, saying the worst reaction would be to point fingers and that the group must stick together, recover and "go and play Tuesday and run our socks off. " Recent updates indicate the FA Trophy exit is final and Yeovil's cup campaign has concluded for this season.