Woking 2 Southport 3
GARRY HILL locked his Woking players in the dressing room at full-time as he and Steve Thompson ruthlessly dissected Cards’ worst-ever performance under their stewardship.
Hill blew his top as goals from Andy Parry and Chris Lynch, plus Chris Lever’s late penalty, gave Southport all three points at Kingfield.
Cards had led through Kevin Betsy and, despite allowing the visitors to level before half-time, looked to be on course for back-to-back home wins after Liam Willis was sent off.
But the 10-men took the lead before Gavin McCallum hit back with just over quarter of an hour to play.
Again it appeared as if Woking would go on to win but Brett Johnson’s horrific error allowed Darren Stephenson to race through on goal.
Joe McNerney tried to make up the ground but was sent off after bringing down the forward in the area.
Lever converted the 82nd-minute spot-kick to leave Hill blind with rage.
Hill stormed: “Collectively they haven’t done their jobs and the players know that more than anybody.
“There are no excuses. You lose together and you win together in football, you stand up and be counted together and we’ve not done enough – no complaints no excuses.
“I’m very disappointed - the players have let themselves down and they’ve let the club down.
“You can’t be 1-0 up after 15 minutes and then turn around and think ‘job done’.
“That is the worst performance from a Woking team that I’ve seen in 18 months. I’m fuming at the moment.”
Dean Sinclair almost scored his first Woking goal but his 20-yard effort sailed over the bar after five minutes.
Cards did not have to wait long for the opener and after a confident start it was Betsy who came up trumps to capitalise on his opponents' lack of attacking endeavor with the opener on 11 minutes.
In trademark fashion he skipped past three challenges down the right before clipping a cross into the area.
On the slick turf, the delivery avoided everyone before finding its way to McCallum on the left wing.
With a shimmy and measured square ball, McCallum found Betsy in the box and the forward had all the time in the world to sidefoot the game's first goal past Tony McMillan.
And the Cards should have extended their lead but failed to apply the finish to a couple of tantalising crosses from Betsy and Lee Sawyer.
Southport's leveller five minutes before the break came from nothing.
Russell Benjamin was allowed to squirm his way round Jack Parkinson on the edge of the area and roll off for Parry to drill past Sam Beasant.
Parkinson almost made amends for his soft piece of defending with a fierce left-foot drive that flew just wide, but the sides went in 1-1 at the interval.
Cards were slow out of the blocks in the second half but received a huge slice of good fortune when Southport were reduced to 10.
Betsy used all his experience to draw a foul from Willis who harshly received a second yellow after clattering into Mark Ricketts in the first half.
With Southport fighting an uphill battle and the 10 men there for the taking Cards were dealt an instant sucker punch.
Shaun Whalley's near post corner could only be helped on by Mike Cestor and arriving at the back post was Lynch to volley in from close range.
A fantastic spin and snap shot from sub Loick Pires drew a good save from McMillan but the Cards struggled to settle into any rhythm against their depleted opponents.
Cards' second goal was very similar to Southport's first – a bolt from the blue in an otherwise lifeless second-half display.
A short corner allowed Bradley Bubb to smash a shot towards goal.
The strike hit a body and fell kindly to McCallum who, much like he did against Tamworth, fired off an effort that was hacked away from the goalmouth.
This time round the officials ruled in his favour and Woking were all square with 16 minutes to play.
But their hard work was undone eight minutes from the death when Johnson's dreadful mistake allowed Stephenson to race through.
McNerney did his best to get across to make a challenge but the defender used too much force and bundled the Southport player to the ground.
McNerney was sent off and Lever coolly converted the resulting spot-kick in what Hill described as a real low point in his Woking career.