 | Author: Robin Updated: 31 August 2003 |
Southend deserved to win, but missed numerous chances before Constantine slotted the ball home one minute from the end to beat Bury 1-0.
After three poor displays the Roots hall faithful must have been concerned that more was to come as Bury won a series of corners in the first ten minutes, but they began to fade as the Blues pushed forward and in turn started to create chances.
Glyn Garner in the Shakers goal had already made a number of saves, before Gower burst into the penalty area in the 29th minute and was tripped. Gower took the penalty himself, low and hard to the 'keepers left, but Garner got down and blocked it and some how Broughton blasted the rebound over the bar from 8 yards. Blues continued to make chances, the best a strong header from Corbett that Garner pushed round the post. At the other end Bury contrived to hit the back of a defender when three against one in the area.
The second half continued with Southend dominant, but when Gareth Seddon came off the substitutes' bench with nearly an hour gone the Shakers started to look more menacing. He forced Carl Emberson into a diving save and also saw a shot go just wide of a post, but it was Southend that carved out the best opportunities only to be denied by some magnificent saves from Garner.
Three minutes from full time Bury won a free kick just outside the area and the fierce shot screamed through the wall, but was well blocked by Emberson. Two minutes later Gower sent in a cross to Leon Constantine at the far post, who lost his marker, chested the ball down and slotted it under the body of Garner. Two minutes of injury time with play held up in the Bury half and the final whistle blew.
Blues did not look as good as the first game of the season, but the defence coped well with McSweeney outstanding in the unnatural left back role. Gower, who has taken over free kicks and corners from Maher, had a really mercurial game, he won the penalty, but then saw his spot kick saved, his corners and free kicks were poor, but his cross lead to the match winning goal, towards the end he did brilliantly to win the ball in a dangerous position, but his final pass was weighted completing wrong.
The referee, Mr Tanner, had a very poor game and it is questionable whether any of the 6 players booked would have been yellow carded by a more competent referee.
Wignall is taking about bringing loan signings to the club, but perhaps he should consider giving the promising youngsters a run out.
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| Author: Bolton Evening News Updated: 1 September 2003 |
Shakers throw it away at the death
It is back to the drawing board for Andy Preece and Graham Barrow after the Shakers' mini revival came to an abrupt end at Roots Hall. Glynn Garner's brilliant performance appeared to have earned Bury a point they barely deserved. But his defenders let him down once too often in the final minute and not even the Welshman could keep out Leon Constantine's late winner.
And it has not taken long for natural justice to right itself after Bury's controversial injury time penalty against Lincoln City on Bank Holiday Monday. However, probably the most galling aspect of the defeat was this was a game Bury could have won. They started well and Southend looked like a team that had lost it's previous four matches. Even in the second half, once Gareth Seddon was introduced to the fray, the visitors created opportunities to have claimed maximum points.
"Gareth livened things up and I thought we were going to win it," said assistant boss Graham Barrow. "But to lose it like we did on the back of the performance was a real kick in the teeth. We've certainly got a lot of work to do. I felt at the start we got dragged down into the comfort zone. The game was there to be won. Southend looked like a team that had lost four games in a row and the crowd were ready to get on their backs. But we let them off the hook."
Bury's failure to profit gave the Shrimpers extra confidence and it was not long before Garner was doing the work of two keepers. Constantine, Drewe Broughton and winger Mark Gower were all causing problems, culminating in a 29th minute penalty against Lee Unsworth. The full-back escaped with a booking and Bury escaped with their goal intact as Garner saved Gower's spot kick.
Broughton and Constantine had further chances before the break but Garner was equal to the task. Bury had not heeded their lesson at the start of the second period and Broughton twice more should have broken the deadlock but Garner stood firm. Seddon replaced Charnock after 57 minutes and suddenly Bury looked more potent.
It seemed, against the odds, the game would end goalless. But when Gower crossed from the left, Colin Woodthorpe misjudged the flight of the ball and Constantine did the rest from eight yards.
"I'm gutted," said Garner. "When things are not going well you've just got to hang in there and try to get a result. I thought we'd done that."
Attendance: 3,045 (127 from Bury).
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