Goals by Steve Pickford and Steve Soley preserved Southport's unbeaten home record as Halifax failed to find the net for the third successive game.

Pickford struck after just two minutes when he received the ball from Mark Lloyd-Williams and fired the ball past Halifax goalkeeper Lee Butler.

The visitors' hopes of an equaliser were dented when they lost Brian Quailey and Neil Grayston through injury in the first half.

And they were forced to make their third substitution at the break due to an injury to Steve Kerrigan.

Southport made sure of the points on the hour when Dean Howell's corner from the right was headed home by Soley.

But they were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute when Chris Lane was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ian Fitzpatrick.

Southport: Dickinson, Barry Jones, Clark, Winstanley, Lane, Pickford, Soley, Gibson, Howell, Lloyd-Williams, Steve Jones. Subs: Sullivan, Scott, James Connolly, Thomson, Welsby.

Halifax: Butler, Neil Grayston, Stoneman, Garnett, Elliott, Fitzpatrick, Bushell, Clarkson, Mallon, Quailey, Kerrigan. Subs: Morgan, McAuley, Midgley, Quinn, Gedman.

Referee: P Canadine (Rotherham).