(Article by the Rev. H. Streete-Ender from NMFE Rivals.net August 31 2008)
After hitting the buffers last week Saddlers got back on track with a second half hat trick from Ishmel leaving Southend all at sea. (Sorry Rev, already thought up by our rivals site!)
Do I get a press pass for that opening ditty? Doh!
Jimmy Mullen made three changes to the starting line up with Ishmel playing upfront alongside Jabo, Roberts coming into central defence and Deeney on the right flank with a 442 the formation of choice. Hoorah! Orange boots, Manny Smith and Nicholls were left on the bench.
In contrast to recent performances Saddlers came out of the blocks all guns blazing playing some good attacking football as opposed to the nauseous hoof ball over the last few weeks.
The result of this change of emphasis? A comprehensive drubbing of a team touted to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.
Being a little picky, although Ishmel bagged a second half hat trick he could have had 6 had he started with his shooting boots.
On three occasions during the first 20 minutes he burst through the Shrimpers defence and lashed towards goal. Sadly his first ended up in row K, the second went one better and crashed against the wall above row M and the third is probably coming to a standstill somewhere in Warwickshire.
He also fired one against the foot of the post - a miskick surely!!
When you consider Marco Reich also broke free of the Shrimpers wobbly defence and twice fired yards wide you could be forgiven for thinking Saddlers should have knocked up a cricket score.
It wasn't all one way traffic though. Southend were the first to put the ball in the back of the net. Fortunately from a Saddlers perspective the effort was ruled out for offside much to the disgust of Revell who successfully claimed a yellow card for his remonstrations with the assistant official.
Despite the previous chances spurned Marco Reich blasted the Saddlers in front after 20 minutes. A clearance fell to his feet, he timed the bounce and let go with a ferocious right footed belter giving Mildenhall absolutely no chance.
It wasn't too long before the visitors drew level. The Saddlers midfield failed to close down the opposition on the edge of the box and Robson Kanu fired home.
Pleasingly Hughes dominated the midfield. He was coolness and calmness personified whilst Reich showed his international class of past with an excellent showing cutting in from the left flank.
At this stage of the proceedings it was still very much an even game with both teams carving out chances with their attacking play.
After the interval Roberts failed to re-appear with Manny Smith taking his place. It wasn't long before Saddlers took the lead. A cross was floated into the box by Reich between the back four and the goalkeeper. Although there was no Walsall player near the ball you just had a feeling that as the ball was getting nearer and nearer to the defender he was going to stretch out his neck and nod firmly past his keeper. Grant duly accepted the opportunity. Great own goal.
Two minutes later Saddlers went further ahead. Mildenhall stopped an effort from Jabo with the ball rebounding to the penalty spot where Ishmel was loitering and he rifled it home for his first and Saddlers third.
Although Saddlers had a comfortable lead it was actually anything but comfortable. On several occasions the Shrimpers managed to find a way through the shaky defence but let themselves down with some wayward finishing. Betsy had a good opportunity to reduce the arrears but his effort smashed against the angle of the upright.
As a unit the defence played quite well. Even Palmer refrained from his usual aimless hoofs and found his own team mates. I will also note that he supplied some telling crosses and may, in the future, be better employed as a right winger upon the return of Weston to the full back berth. Unfortunately they were under too much pressure due to the failings of the midfield to defend. I blame Taundry for this.
For every good deed he done he then let himself down with a silly pass conceding possession or failing to track back as the Shrimpers pressed forward. I suppose you get that with youngsters.
It didn't take much longer before Saddlers notched up their fourth with Demontagnac converting Palmer's corner with a bullet like diving header. He then put the icing on the cake with a goal of supreme quality - or luck.
He collected the ball a yard from the corner flag, tricked his way past a defender and then curled one past the startled keeper into the far corner. Cross or corner? Who gives a toss. At least with 5 goals on the scoreboard and 6 minutes to go I began to believe we would actually win.
The visitors did manage to pull a goal back as they waltzed through a non existent midfield weakened by the withdrawal of Hughes for Bradley and Barnard netted but it was no more than a consolation.
The plus points. Lots of them.
We played football as opposed to hoofball and look to have some players of real quality. Hughes, Reich and Jabo looked good in particular. We also have some quality to come back into the team in the form of Ricketts, Mattis and Weston. If Mullen can get this team to gel then who knows what could happen.
Ishmel obviously gets the plaudits for his second half hat trick. However, he also showed his Asbo side and can consider himself fortunate not to have been sent off in the first half when, for no apparent reason, he decided to lunge studs first into one of the Shrimpers. Why?
Why must he self destruct?
Overall, very pleasing to win by such a margin but as one respected punter pointed out leaving the ground it was probably the closest 5-2 scoreline ever witnessed. I agreed with him - but sniggered at his pointy shoes
After hitting the buffers last week Saddlers got back on track with a second half hat trick from Ishmel leaving Southend all at sea. (Sorry Rev, already thought up by our rivals site!)
Do I get a press pass for that opening ditty? Doh!
Jimmy Mullen made three changes to the starting line up with Ishmel playing upfront alongside Jabo, Roberts coming into central defence and Deeney on the right flank with a 442 the formation of choice. Hoorah! Orange boots, Manny Smith and Nicholls were left on the bench.
In contrast to recent performances Saddlers came out of the blocks all guns blazing playing some good attacking football as opposed to the nauseous hoof ball over the last few weeks.
The result of this change of emphasis? A comprehensive drubbing of a team touted to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.
Being a little picky, although Ishmel bagged a second half hat trick he could have had 6 had he started with his shooting boots.
On three occasions during the first 20 minutes he burst through the Shrimpers defence and lashed towards goal. Sadly his first ended up in row K, the second went one better and crashed against the wall above row M and the third is probably coming to a standstill somewhere in Warwickshire.
He also fired one against the foot of the post - a miskick surely!!
When you consider Marco Reich also broke free of the Shrimpers wobbly defence and twice fired yards wide you could be forgiven for thinking Saddlers should have knocked up a cricket score.
It wasn't all one way traffic though. Southend were the first to put the ball in the back of the net. Fortunately from a Saddlers perspective the effort was ruled out for offside much to the disgust of Revell who successfully claimed a yellow card for his remonstrations with the assistant official.
Despite the previous chances spurned Marco Reich blasted the Saddlers in front after 20 minutes. A clearance fell to his feet, he timed the bounce and let go with a ferocious right footed belter giving Mildenhall absolutely no chance.
It wasn't too long before the visitors drew level. The Saddlers midfield failed to close down the opposition on the edge of the box and Robson Kanu fired home.
Pleasingly Hughes dominated the midfield. He was coolness and calmness personified whilst Reich showed his international class of past with an excellent showing cutting in from the left flank.
At this stage of the proceedings it was still very much an even game with both teams carving out chances with their attacking play.
After the interval Roberts failed to re-appear with Manny Smith taking his place. It wasn't long before Saddlers took the lead. A cross was floated into the box by Reich between the back four and the goalkeeper. Although there was no Walsall player near the ball you just had a feeling that as the ball was getting nearer and nearer to the defender he was going to stretch out his neck and nod firmly past his keeper. Grant duly accepted the opportunity. Great own goal.
Two minutes later Saddlers went further ahead. Mildenhall stopped an effort from Jabo with the ball rebounding to the penalty spot where Ishmel was loitering and he rifled it home for his first and Saddlers third.
Although Saddlers had a comfortable lead it was actually anything but comfortable. On several occasions the Shrimpers managed to find a way through the shaky defence but let themselves down with some wayward finishing. Betsy had a good opportunity to reduce the arrears but his effort smashed against the angle of the upright.
As a unit the defence played quite well. Even Palmer refrained from his usual aimless hoofs and found his own team mates. I will also note that he supplied some telling crosses and may, in the future, be better employed as a right winger upon the return of Weston to the full back berth. Unfortunately they were under too much pressure due to the failings of the midfield to defend. I blame Taundry for this.
For every good deed he done he then let himself down with a silly pass conceding possession or failing to track back as the Shrimpers pressed forward. I suppose you get that with youngsters.
It didn't take much longer before Saddlers notched up their fourth with Demontagnac converting Palmer's corner with a bullet like diving header. He then put the icing on the cake with a goal of supreme quality - or luck.
He collected the ball a yard from the corner flag, tricked his way past a defender and then curled one past the startled keeper into the far corner. Cross or corner? Who gives a toss. At least with 5 goals on the scoreboard and 6 minutes to go I began to believe we would actually win.
The visitors did manage to pull a goal back as they waltzed through a non existent midfield weakened by the withdrawal of Hughes for Bradley and Barnard netted but it was no more than a consolation.
The plus points. Lots of them.
We played football as opposed to hoofball and look to have some players of real quality. Hughes, Reich and Jabo looked good in particular. We also have some quality to come back into the team in the form of Ricketts, Mattis and Weston. If Mullen can get this team to gel then who knows what could happen.
Ishmel obviously gets the plaudits for his second half hat trick. However, he also showed his Asbo side and can consider himself fortunate not to have been sent off in the first half when, for no apparent reason, he decided to lunge studs first into one of the Shrimpers. Why?
Why must he self destruct?
Overall, very pleasing to win by such a margin but as one respected punter pointed out leaving the ground it was probably the closest 5-2 scoreline ever witnessed. I agreed with him - but sniggered at his pointy shoes