Adams: 'It's a day you want to forget'
It was all so easy for the home side, it really did feel like a testimonial game at times, and obviously the Valiants boss Micky Adams feels the same!
Mark Phillips and Liam Dickinson scored with headers in the eighth and 29th minutes, before Gareth Owen put through his own net and Clayton McDonald saw red to cap a miserable day out at the seaside for Adams, the team, and the 164 travelling faithful who made the wasted 394-mile round trip from Vale Park!
Adams told www.port-vale.co.uk: "There was one side that thought they could win the game, and us, who didn't think we could win it, and that was from the kick-off. If you don't do the basics from set pieces, then you have got no chance. Last week against Cheltenham, we werre well in the game, then we conceded a goal from a set piece, and we have done exactly the same again here - a free header from a corner. So if you are going to give goals away, cheaply, against one of the top three teams, then you have got no chance."
The body language from the Valiant defenders after that first told us all where this match was heading! And certainly the ever hinest Adams was in no mood to make excuses.
He said: "It's a day you want to forget and that was one of the worst performances I have seen from a Vale side, certainly since I have been at the football club. I was disappointed with their attitude; we paid Southend too much respect and it's a bitterly disappointing result - there is a lot of soul searching to be done."
Adams also had a word to say about those poor Valiant fans who must have wondered what their team was up to at Roots Hall Saturday afternoon!
He concluded: "I respect supporters that have travelled the distance today, and the money they have spent. It's embarrassing, but I feel more disappointed today than I ever have, since I have been at this football club."
Strong stuff, but he really has no other way of explaining the performance Port Vale put up, it was that bad.
Discuss the game: http://boards.footymad.net
Catch the Vale view: www.onevalefan.co.uk
Still need more signings?: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk
S24 is looking to build up it's editorial team, why not join us at the Shrimpers fastest growing unofficial site with up to and over 2,000 hits a day currently this month?
If you have something to say on the present exciting times at Southend United or an idea for a new poll, then click on the link with your article or contact details and we will get in touch, just a few lines will do: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk