It romped home to a 4-0 victory over the Hamilton Wanderers at Peter Johnstone Park on Saturday, scoring as many goals as it did in its first eight games combined.
It is the first time the team has claimed back-to-back wins since November 2014.
Southern attacked from deep and put long balls through to its pacy strikers, who were dangerous in the open. Ross Howard was responsible for delivering a series of threatening crosses. It was a far more decisive and direct approach and defensively Southern scrambled well, absorbing plenty of pressure.
Eric Molloy was energetic and was rewarded with two goals. For the first, he broke to the middle and finished off with his left foot. Howard had provided the delivery, a smart pass up the right flank.
That gave Southern the lead just six minutes in. Then a nice build-up put Howard into space up the right. His cross found Danny Furlong, who made it 2-0.
In between times, there were some outstanding saves from goal keeper Liam Little, including a penalty, and some desperate defence helped hold the lead. That ability to keep goals out came more to the fore in the second half as Hamilton dominated possession. However, Southern always got a body in front of the goal.
At the other end it was clinical. Molloy added to the score just after the break with an outstanding flick and volley on the break. Sam Cosgrave made it 4-0 just seconds after coming on in the 85th minute, heading in a ball after receiving a cross from Furlong.
It was a result to be happy with, although coach Paul O’Reilly said it was not the best the team had played.
"[I’m] delighted; 4-0 win, it’s our first clean sheet of the season. Scored four and could have got others.
"By no means did we dominate the game. They [Hamilton] had long spells of possession. We can certainly be a lot better than that. We’ve probably played better and got nothing out the game, so absolutely delighted to win 4-0."
He said the period between the second and third goals was key, as was Little’s penalty save, to not let Hamilton back into the game.
"I think we went one up and then got a second one and you just have to defend properly from there. [At] 2-0 it is important that you don’t let them score, so the penalty save was obviously important for us, too."
The team was not getting carried away, though, and was already focused on claiming another three points against Canterbury next week.
