Chairman Charlie Clapham said: "Following our run of poor results, it is with regret that Southport Football Club have agreed to mutually terminate the contract of manager Mike Walsh with immediate effect.

"We desperately wanted it to work, but it hasn't worked out and performances and results have dictated a change.

"Coming second was considered at the start of the season as unacceptable, and our current league position and exit from the FA Cup reflect the board's decision.

"Mike was totally committed to the club and he is gutted that it hasn't happened."

Walsh took over at Haig Avenue from Phil Wilson last January, but was unable to prevent a slide down the Conference table which culminated in their relegation to the UniBond Premier Division.

The side won their opening four games of this season without conceding a goal as they looked for an immediate return to the Conference.

But they have collected just four points from their last seven games and have slipped to ninth.

Skipper Steve Soley is still ruled out by a recurring hamstring injury for the visit of Barrow, while winger Peter Thomson faces a late check after illness forced him out at the weekend.

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This latest problem comes at a time when Port manager Mike Walsh needs all his experienced players fully fit as his squad embarks on what could be a make or break October.

Soley only played a handful of matches last season, his injuries, coupled with suspensions, keeping him on the sidelines for much of the campaign.

And Walsh has decided that Barry Jones has no long-term future at the club and has circulated his name to UniBond and Conference clubs.

Tomorrow see the Port set out on their FA Cup campaign at fellow Unibond Premier side Vauxhall Motors tomorrow.

For the Sandgrounders, a successful Cup run can kick-start a season that looked awesome in August but stuttered in September. October offers optimism.

Mike Walsh said on the month ahead: "We have decided we are taking each game as it comes. We are not looking at other clubs, it is about us acquiring three points at a time and tomorrow progressing in the FA Cup. We are looking forward to Saturday and all our efforts will be focused on the Cup."

Walsh has to make changes from Tuesday night's squad, with new short-term signing Tony Hallam not eligible for this round. Skipper Steve Soley is out but Mark Wright at Chester City has agreed to allow on-loan striker Mark Beesley to participate in the Port's early FA Cup rounds.

Morecambe's Tony Hallam had an impressive debut against Altrincham, though Walsh feels the 20-year-old goal-scoring centre-back is a little rusty. Jim Harvey has acknowledged he needs competitive first team football, hence Morecambe's permission to join the Sandgrounders.

After Tuesday night's match physio Bret Harris reported everyone had come through with Paul Byrne making an impressive return at left-back. Danny Stone, out since the Runcorn defeat, well on the mend. Steve Pickford skippered the side for the first time on Tuesday night and will keep the role tomorrow.

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He said: "We will always be an attack-minded side. I am aware teams have been hitting us on the break after defending in numbers against us.

"If we are 1-0 down we won't accept that or settle for it. We will never lie down and at Woking we took risks to get the equaliser."

Southport travel to Ashton on Saturday, followed by the visit of Altrincham to Haig Avenue on Tuesday night.

Team news tomorrow sees central defender Barry Jones available after suspension. The versatile Paul Haddow deputised for Jones at Worksop.

Left-back Paul Byrne is close to a return and Danny Stone is receiving treatment on an ankle injury and could be available.

A disappointed Walsh said after watching his side strive for reward at Worksop: "It's difficult to test the keeper when they put ten behind the ball on a tight pitch. We had no space to play, we put Ashy (Lee Ashcroft) wide left late on and I was insisting we hugged the touchlines in the second-half. That is the way to break it down and put some quality balls into the box.

"We switched the play very well, I am so pleased with the way we played, in many ways it is the best we have played this season. They have defended like Trojans and we are all sickened. We have done everything once they scored to take the game to them.

"I have told my players we will lose one game in a hundred if we play like that. We have to look forward to the trip to Ashton and get another win under our belts. We know how well we can play."

* Southport have been drawn at Vauxhall Motors in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup, to be played next Saturday.

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Three straight defeats, conceding nine goals and scoring only one, led Walsh to acknowledge: "The wheels have come off the track and I was embarrassed by our Runcorn performance. We have got to get it back quickly.

"As soon as their second goal went in I've never seen so many heads drop, I think players have to come to terms with the Unibond. Teams play deep at Haig Avenue and they clear the ball out to their strikers. They hit us on the break.

"I cannot offer any excuses and the supporters are quite entitled to have a go at me because I have certainly had a go at the team. We have to be a lot better. Our defending was weak and it is paramount we strengthen the squad.

"We need people at the back who will stand up and be counted. Once a team has scored against us we buckle. Confidence has gone from being a top of the table side to a low. Good play-ers are looking poor."

The Monday night signing on loan of Chester striker Mark Beesley will not be the end of Walsh's transfer activity as the defence becomes an immediate priority with reinforcements necessary to shore up the leaky Sandgrounders, whose susceptibility to crosses was again exposed by Runcorn's third goal on Tuesday night.

Each defeat, at Stalybridge and Hucknall plus Runcorn, has seen Southport so close to scoring in the early stages but at Hucknall and on Tuesday night they have conceded virtually straight after.

Ex-Preston striker Mark Beesley nearly capped his debut with a dream fourth minute goal on Tuesday night. Instead, his placed shot thumped off the right-hand post and the Linnets response on six minutes began a night of total despair.

Walsh shuffled his line-up against Runcorn, partnering Danny Stone with Neil Whitworth while Liam McGuire came in at right back and Lee Clitheroe left. Barry Jones dropped to the bench. At half-time Peter Thomson replaced Mark Byrne while, later, Barry Jones came on for McGuire pushing Stone back to right back. Debutant Beesley departed giving Andy Whittaker the last 13 minutes.

Team news tomorrow sees left back Paul Byrne absent with a tendon injury. Steve Soley had a rigorous workout with physio Bret Harris and his progress was monitored last night. Jimmy Williams, who came off with a tightening hamstring in last week's reserve match, could also be added to the squad. Barry Jones serves his Stalybridge red card suspension at Worksop.

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The 22-year old will add extra competition up-front, as the ‘Port’s championship assault has met a few hiccups during the past 2 games. The ‘Port also failed to score in a match for the first time in Saturday’s defeat at Hucknall and with play-maker Lee Ashcroft struggling with a hamstring knock and has been indispensable so far this campaign, Walsh has moved quickly to prevent any crisis from arising.

Beesley will add a lot of skill, pace and flair to the Sandgrounder’s line-up and is no stranger to finding the back of the net. Despite having a number of strikers to choose from, Walsh has opted to bring in a loan signing with bags of both experience and potential.

Beesley is no cast off and no reject, in fact the 22-year old, Ormskirk born striker was Chester’s leading goalscorer in the 2001/2002 campaign with 18 goals to his name at only 19 years of age. However, since Mark Wright’s arrival as manager, Beesley has found a regular first-team place hard to come by, with the addition of well proven Conference strikers such as Daryl Clare, Ryan Sugden, Dave Cameron and last season, Mark Quale. There is no doubt about the ability of Beesley, a former Preston trainee with a handful of Football League appearances and will be a promising addition to the Sandgrounder’s charge. If sucessful, one would expect Beesley's initial one month deal to be extended.

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So early in the season the Sandgrounders have big games coming thick and fast as the Unibond goes into a hectic September schedule which will see the Sand-grounders play in nine fixtures.

After the defeat at Stalybridge, Walsh reflected: "The big lesson from the defeat was that if we concede a goal we need to keep our shape. We dominated the game, had a lot of chances, their keeper was their man-of-the-match. Our football is all about passing and getting the ball wide.

"We need to keep to our principals. Saying that they equalised from a dubious penalty and though their second was a great shot from distance it was our mistake which gave them the opportunity. We have to bounce back tomorrow."

Tuesday night's 2-1 set back at Stalybridge saw the Sandgrounders slip to fourth in the Unibond table while Hucknall's 2-0 home victory over Ashton pushed the Nottinghamshire club up to second.

Team news for tomorrow centres on top scorer and creator Lee Ashcroft who limped out of the Bower Fold fray in the 67th minute after giving the bench earlier indications he could play on despite feeling a strain in the opening minutes. Everyone else appeared to come through an excellent end-to-end encounter which in standard and style befitted a Conference clash.

Burr has brought experience into his squad with the signing of ex-Birmingham and Port Vale midfielder Jon McCarthy who transferred to Birmingham for £1m in 1998. Also in Burr's ranks is former England semi-pro international Gary Patterson.

Walsh was delighted left back Paul Byrne has agreed to sign a two year contract with the manager saying: "We see real potential in Paul and he has the same attitude towards the club. We can both move on together."

* Southport Juniors broadcast by Sky will be presented at Goodison Park on Tuesday night with their FA Charter Standard Development Club status award, one of the first in the country, during the half time Under-21s international fixture.

Chairman Nick David-son said: "A tremendous amount of time and develop-ment has gone into this application which is for Southport Juniors and Ladies. Our aim is to coach and develop our boys and girls via the FA Charters philosophy and methodology."

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The Haig Avenue pitch was in superb condition throughout last season and had many admirers, including Everton boss David Moyes who was delighted when Everton reserves secured a three-year contract at Southport. The club have always had a lush playing surface and with no Premiership Reserve games being played on it, the pitch was not bombarded with matches and had plenty of time to recover after games.

However, this season both Everton and Southport reserves play on it as well as the UniBond Premiership first team. Hedley took over as sole groundsman from Ken Morris in 2000 and won the bronze award the season before last, finishing behind winners Doncaster and Woking, again in second place.

The first prize was on by Yeovil groundsman Rod Pippard, after £350,000 was spent on bringing the Huish Park playing surface up to scratch before the season. Town later went on to win the Conference. Second came Michael Bidmead from Woking after maintaining the Kingfield stadium to very high standards.

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The 20-year-old, South African born Byrne will has impressed at Southport after signing on a temporary basis a month and a day ago. He has proved to be a stable player who has featured at left-back but can also play in the mid-field. The former Port Vale man has gelled quickly with his fellow defenders following their summer arrivals after featuring in Europe for the Jenner Park club already this season. Byrne signed at for the Welsh Champions from Port Vale, where he made a number of full Nationwide League appearances. He won the Welsh cup and league double last season. Byrne was one of the full-time professionals at Jenner Park, however, he became available after pay disputes with the Welsh outfit.

The UniBond League distribute various awards to clubs in the Premier and First Division, and the Sandgrounders are also on course to win the Sportsnet 'Best Defensive Record' award after keeping clean sheets in all of their opening games.

It is an award which will give the players an early award and will hopefully spur them onto better things. It is an award which will delight all at Haig Avenue, but it's the trophy at the end of the season everyone wants to get their hands on.

In previous times, there have been a presentation on the winner's pitch before the start of a game.