Southport face South Shields at The Pure Stadium, Southport, Merseyside on Saturday, Feb 6 at 4:00 PM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the National League – North, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Southport come into this fixture struggling badly (1W 3L in last 5). South Shields, meanwhile, arrive in mixed form (2W 0D 3L) — actually the better-performing side in recent weeks.

In 10 previous meetings, Southport lead 4–2 with 4 draws. Their last encounter ended in Southport won 0–1.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Southport a slight edge, but South Shields are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.