LIVERPOOL St Helens’ hard fought 36-23 win at a hospitable Southport club was not just a deserved reward for a complete team performance but was also a personal triumph for assistant head coach Darren Charlton. Taking charge of the Moss Laners for the first time whilst Andy Northey was re-living former glories at a Heineken Cup winning reunion with Northampton, the loyal LSH man found himself a pivotal figure on the touchline, managing a higher than normal number of knocks and injuries with his already depleted number of replacements.

He did it well.

LSH made an excellent start, following up a second minute try from Matt Cunliffe, bursting through from 20 yards out, with two more tries before the half hour mark.

In a busy intervening period though, Southport had replied with a penalty, Paddy Royle had come off after taking a knock (but returned to have one of his best games) and Dan Filson had been carried off with a suspected twisted ankle.

Chris Houlton settled things down for LSH with a good try from a catch and drive after 25 minutes, 3-10, before a strong charge from Dave Cunliffe was continued by skipper Darren Wilson blitzing his way over for the third try, converted by Matt Cunliffe.

The home side then dominated the last ten minutes after Matt Cunliffe was binned for a high tackle, reducing the arrears with a converted try to make it 10 -17 before an eventful first half was brought to a close with a red card for the Southport scrum half for a stamping offence.

Southport narrowed the gap to just four points with a penalty early in the second half and the game was very much in the balance.

LSH’s response, inspired by Darren Wilson and Dave Cunliffe, was to produce a superbly controlled display for the rest of the game, despite a finger injury to Jake Hodson, a now statutory ten minute rest for full back Alex Kean when injured and a limping Matt Cunliffe on the left wing.

A tremendous break from Hodson led to the bonus point try from Dave Cunliffe, scattering the Southport defence as he crossed the line to touch down, converted by his brother, Southport registered another penalty after 52 minutes, before flanker Sam Molyneux capped a decent all round performance with two excellently worked tries from distance in the 66th and 73rd minutes.

Southport scored a further try on the final whistle.

Darren Charlton, after managing a dugout which resembled a MASH unit, can reflect on a good afternoon’s work and a 100% record.

This week LSH play Glossop in a rearranged fixture at Moss Lane. KO 2.15.