[Citizens South Banking Corporation letterhead]


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         I  hereby  appoint  Paul L.  Teem,  Jr.,  Gary F.  Hoskins,  Robert  B.
Pomerenk,  Esquire  or Edward A.  Quint,  Esquire  to act as my true and  lawful
attorney-in-fact  with  authority  to execute on my behalf any Form 3, 4 or 5 or
any amendment  thereto required to be filed by the undersigned  under Section 16
of the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  and  the  rules  and
regulations promulgated thereunder,  with the appropriate regulatory authorities
and to do all things  incident and  necessary to that end,  until such time as I
notify Mr. Teem, Mr. Hoskins,  Mr. Pomerenk, or Mr. Quint in writing that
his authority to act on my behalf in this manner has been withdrawn.

     I have signed this power of  attorney on  09/11/2003.



                         By   /s/ Richard K. Craig
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                         [Print Name]: Richard K. Craig
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                         In presence of    /s/ Linda L. Pakutski
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                         at (city)  Gastonia   , North Carolina
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