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Rob Newman kept faith with the 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2) formation that had served up the losses at Swansea, Swindon and the 1-0 defeat to League leaders Hartlepool. This meant that both Phil Whelan and Mark Beard retained their positions in the starting line-up despite below-par performances in the last week or so, and the only change was to see Mark Rawle replacing the injured Tes Bramble.
Last Friday against the Monkeyhangers, United had conceeded by the 54th second. This time they went two better. A dangerous ball down the left picked out the impressive Jamal Campbell-Ryce, on loan from Premiership Charlton, and he appeared to blast the ball out of play for a goal-kick. Referee Cable, of Woking, somehow awarded a corner to Orient, which Ciaran Toner took. Southend were asleep, and another loanee, Ezomo Iriekpen of West Ham, headed powerfully at the centre of the goal. Leon Cort, positioned on the line, somehow contrived to only head the ball into the roof of the net, and the visitors were behind. 'Keeper Flahavan was nowhere.
Immediately the Shrimpers attempted to get back ino the match. Following a floated ball from Beardo, Jay Smith popped up at the back post to head wide of the left-hand upright. Minutes later, a Kevin Maher set-piece was powerfully headed at goal by Cort, but young shotstopper Glenn Morris was on hand to dive to his left and colect the ball. Blues were having a lot of possession, but little was coming out of it. Orient, on the other hand, were comfortable on the ball, and the travellers midfield seemed to lack some bite. Firstly Kevin Nugent rose highest to nod on a Andy Harris cross, but the ball squeezed just past the right post. Then, on 25 minutes, the former Cardiff man rose above the defence again and his powerful downward header was just stopped by Darryl Flahavan as he scrambled right along his goal-line.
Despite having no foothold in the game, Southend were still creating enough chances to have been level. On 34 minutes, three came along at once. A deep ball from Beard, who was ineffectual again at right wing-back, found Neil Jenkins at the far post. He headed down towards goal, but the ball was hacked off of the line, and Ian Selley then tried to slide home his first League goal. The O's defence stood firm, and the ball was cleared off the line again, but only to Stephen Broad, up from defensive duties. He blasted the ball back into the danger area, but it was deflected away and the danger passed.
Then, after the fourth official had signalled two minutes of added time, came the inevitable. With Orient pressing forward, a long ball was sent over the top for Campbell-Ryce to chase. He ran it down, but the ball was just entering the penalty area as Flav came out to collect way above the Orient player's head. However, Wheelo had other ideas, and a distinct lack of communication saw the former England Under-21 defender head comically over Flahavan's head and into the empty net. Both players were distraught, but questions have to be asked - what was Whelan heading towards his own goal for? He could clearly see Flav coming to claim the ball, so why did he feel the need to touch it on? Why did Flahavan come so far? Whelan had performed dreadfully throughout the half, and this capped it all off. He was rightly ashamed of his actions. But the goalie was equally to blame.
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The second half promised to be a different kettle of fish, and that it proved. Straight away Blues were up and at the home side, and a hoof forward from Maher was able to pick out Graeme Jones. He held the ball up expertly, and laid it square in the box for Rawle. Rawley passed inside to Jay Smith, who turned O's captain Dean Smith on his right hand side and fired in a right-footed effort. Morris dived full length across to his own right, and somehow got a forearm to the ball, pushing it away from the net. The promise was there.
After a long period of inactivity, where both sides were vying for supremacy, the Shrimpers came back to life again. Fired by the changes that brought Damon Searle and Steven Clark on for Whelan and Ian Selley at half-time, and then Barrington Belgrave's aqppearanvce at the expense of Rawle, the time to get back into the game had come. With 17 minutes left, a long-ball over the top found Bazza with Dean Smith snapping at his heels. He managed to get across his marker, and drove the ball past Morris. It seemed to take an eternity to go in, but eventually it crawled against the inside of the right-hand upright and over the goal-line. One back, and the tune to the Great Escape could be heard ringing around the North Terrace.
Two minutes later, and United could have been level. Steven Clark, who was tentative to say the least, cut inside ex-Southend youth player Matty Lockwood, and curled a shot from twenty-five yards just over the left angle. Blues pushed forward, bouyed by ever-increasing cheers from the away contingent. But the East Ender's were not finished. Steve Watts, a substitute for Nugent, firstly cut inside Broady to shoot across the face of goal, an effort pushed away for a corner by Flahavan. The ensuing corner-kick, taken by Lockwood, was headed on by Watts toward the opposite corner of the net, but Flav dived across goal to save the ball from going in the top left hand corner.
The final ten minutes turned ugly. Following a series of stupid bookings, Jay Smith found himself in the book having had the ball thrown at his by a member of the West Stand crowd, and Maher was close to talking himself off the pitch as he stood up for his players. The coup de grace was three minutes into the four added for injury time at the end of the match. Bazza was frustrated by a ball-boy, who, like his mates around the pitch's perimeter, was holding onto the ball for far too long. The former Plymouth and Yeovil forward must have used foul and abusive language towards either the ball-boy or the referee, Cable produced his red card, and Belgrave was on his way.
The game then descended into chaos. As captain Maher attempted to take the throw that Bazza had been awarded, Iriekpen blatantly dived to the ground, having been holding Broad, in an effort to see Blues reduced to nine men. The offence was outrageous, and deserved far more than even what Belgrave had just been given. Yet Cable only saw it fit to produce a yellow. Amidst the madness, there were two moments of magic. Firstly, Maher's throw, flicked on by Cort, found Jenks, who spun round on his left foot eight yards out and fired the ball towards the top of the net. Morris produced a wonderful reflex save to retain his side's advantage, and despite a couple of corners, the Shrimpers could not find the killer touch. Another 2-1 defeat, the third in succession against Orient, and the fans were clearly unhappy, throwing bottles and coins onto the pitch. This behaviour was abhorrent (though understandable) and once again seriously threatens the future of Blues fans moving into the North Bank at home. Much more pleasing was the applauding of the players off the pitch, despite a defeat, for the final half-hour, against the elements, they had given their all. It was sadly not enough.
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Darryl Flahavan 5 - made a couple of excellent saves, but also must be apportioned some blame for the second goal. Also went walkabouts on the first. Mark Beard 5 - poor. The right wing-back role is not for him, in this match he was intent on getting forward, but this left Cort and Broad vulnerable at the back, and was partly to blame for the first Orient goal. Second half witnessed a substantial improvement.
Leon Cort 6 - struggled at times to keep things together. Was still the bed rock of the Southend defence, mopping up a lot of situations that his central defensive colleagues left for him to deal with. Almost got an immediate equaliser in the fourth minute.
Stephen Broad 5 - had his worst game for a while. His distribution was at times awful, at others lamentable, and defensively he seemed unsure after the slip on Friday night. Unwilling to commit. Although Cable kept pulling him up for it, he still kept taking free-kicks when the ball was moving.
Phil Whelan 4 - things just go from bad to worst for last season's captain. First he endures a poor 45 minutes, with awful passing, a lack of purpose when clearing the ball, and indecisiveness in getting it away, then he manages to lose all communication with his goalkeeper and score an own goal. Replaced (mercifully) by Damon Searle (6) at half-time, who played well, getting some dangerous balls into the box for Jones and Belgrave, and linked well with Jenkins on the left.
Neil Jenkins 7 - again a quiet first period, save for a good header at goal which was unfortunately cleared. The second half saw him really giving it his all, screaming for the ball and passionately trying to get his side back into the game. His wonder strike deserved nothing less than a goal, but Morris produced a fantastic save.
Ian Selley 5 - just didn't manage to impose himself on the match, allowing it to pass him by. Did not get struck in enough, and didn't see enough of the ball as a result. Replaced by Steven Clark (6) at half-time, who didn't run at Lockwood enough, but still managed to get a good shot away and one decent cross. Needs to be more threatening.
Jay Smith 7 - was always willing to run and even managed a couple of shots. One sublime piece of skill in the first half, dragging the ball past three Orient midfielders was undone by a lack of support, and he was more willing to have a shot than he has been.
Kevin Maher 7 - played welll, but without being outstanding. He was passionate, he stood up for his players, and he seemed to really care about the game. Short range passing was excellent, but he still had a tendancy to tak the aerial route when picking out Jones.
Graeme Jones 6 - made all the effort, but with little end product. Not really ever in a position to have a strike on goal, but he did fight for the ball up front.
Mark Rawle 6 - a lot of effort, and droppign out to the right wing to help out Beard, but once again, for a striker, he didn't have any substantial shots on goal. Replaced by Barrington Belgrave (6) on 57 minutes, who provided that final touch, but then was stupidly sent off when his side needed him most. Also, he joins the list of three who are suspended in the coming month.
Subs not used: Danny Gay, Stuart Thurgood.
Robert Craven
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