EVERY Stanley fan on Wednesday morning must have woken up believing it was just a nightmare that Accrington had lost to the bottom club the night before.

But it was all too true as a below par show from the table toppers left the happy dreams of a Football League return still just that for the moment - dreams.

The Reds had stuttered in their previous two games with two draws but most fans expected them to bounce back in style against Liam Watson's strugglers.

Instead, though, the Reds' fans could only watch in disbelief as Stanley suffered their first league defeat in 21 league games - since October.

They also lost their proudly held record of scoring in every league game this season with Ian Craney having a late penalty saved.

And, for the fourth game running, Stanley had to try and battle on with ten men after Robbie Williams walked in the first half for bringing down dangerman Steve Daly in the box.

Relegation-threatened Southport turned the form book upside down and they deserve credit for the way they battled and double hero Steve Daly is a lethal finisher.

Coleman, meanwhile, has always said his flair players can get his side out of tricky situations - as Gary Roberts did against Halifax and as Paul Mullin did against Burton.

But this time there was little of it on show as the Sandgrounders took control, capitalised on any slip-ups and didn't look like a side short on confidence and struggling at the wrong end of the table.

"The lads worked really hard but we made silly mistakes," said a dejected Coleman. "I was quite pleased with the performance, though.

"I watched Southport against Hereford the other week and they had 15 chances and scored one. This time they had perhaps three against us and scored two. I just feel sick we have lost the record of scoring in every game."

Coleman did have to rearrange his backline with left back Leam Richardson suspended following his dismissal on Saturday and it was a tentative opening from both sides.

Then, the game suddenly burst to life on 13 minutes when a Neil Robinson cross found Daly and he turned and rifled the ball goalwards with Rob Elliot, who must have seen it late, producing a superb one-handed save to keep him out.

However, the relief was only short-lived as a long hopeful ball forward a minute later had Daly and Elliot running for the ball. It bounced high but the striker somehow got there first to head the ball into the net to the horror of the Stanley defence.

And disaster almost struck again a minute later when Elliot charged out of his box for a clearance but the ball only fell to Matty McGinn.

He fired goalwards from 30 yards and Stanley were lucky when the ball hit the upright - just centimetres from going in - and Elliot recovered.

Stanley seemed unsure at the back with Robbie Williams and Michael Welch having words with each other.

However, things calmed down and the Reds forced their first real chance on 25 minutes when Mullin's flick on found the hard-working Rommy Boco and he turned in the area and fired just inches wide of Steve Dickinson's goal.

Gary Roberts and Andy Todd swapped wings as both looked to get more involved but it was midfielder Craney who almost got the Reds back in it.

He did well to muscle his way past two defenders in the area but Dickinson dived low at the near post to keep out his fierce effort.

And Roberts did then pounce on a keeper miskick and squared the ball for Boco and Mullin both waiting in the area but it was a metre off both of them.

Then the game erupted again just before half-time. Daly and Williams chased another long ball into the area and the striker fell under the defender's challenge.

The referee, Mark Haywood, was close to the action and blew for a penalty while showing the Stanley player another red card to add to their ever-increasing collection.

Two-nil at half-time and down to 10 men would have been a disaster and so Elliot's save from Robinson's penalty - diving the right way - could have been crucial.

It still gave them hope with Stanley pressing after the break but the next goal was always going to be important - and it was the home side celebrating.

Roberts lost the ball on the edge of the visiting area and it was hooked forward. The Reds were appealing for off-side but there was no flag raised and Daly ran free and finished low and hard past the outrushing Elliot in front of the stunned visiting fans.

Still Stanley hunted for that goal and they should have given the fans something to cheer about on 65 minutes.

Todd unleashed another hard shot which Dickinson pushed out but only as far as Roberts in the six yard box. He got his head to the ball but the 'Port keeper pulled off another miraculous save to keep out Stanley.

Boco followed this up moments later with an edge of the area strike which Dickinson again pushed out in a man of the match display.

Whatever Stanley did just didn't come off as Gary Brabin, Earl Davis and ex-Stanley defender Jerome Fiztgerald seemed to stick their foot in and keep out the Reds.

But then, in the final minute, the referee had no hesitation when Brabin brought Craney down in the area. Coleman must have been sure his midfielder would have maintained the Reds' record of scoring in every league game but Dickinson saved his spot kick with his foot much to the agony of everyone connected with Stanley.

The ten men pressed through four minutes of injury time but, for once this season, there was no way through.

Southport manager Watson admitted it was a huge game for them as they surged out of the relegation spots for the first time in a while.

"It was a massive win for us and tactically we got it spot on. It has given us a great chance. Nobody expected us to beat Accrington," former Stanley player Watson said.