Boston United vs. Southend United – Preview

Last updated : 03 March 2004 By Robert Craven
Five of the sides around the Shrimpers in the table had their matches postponed yesterday evening (Carlisle United, Darlington, Macclesfield Town, Rochdale and Scunthorpe United), whilst Cambridge United lost 1-0 to Swansea City and Bristol Rovers could only draw 1-1 with Leyton Orient. Kidderminster Harriers were the shock winners with a 2-1 triumph over Northampton Town.

All of that means that the Shrimpers will lift themselves up to 16th should they emerge victorious from Lincolnshire this evening, and inconceivable seven points clear of 23rd-placed Macclesfield. Boston lie just a place above Blues in the tabel, which all means that this is the latest in a long line of crunch matches that will decide the Seasiders’ Division Three fortunes in 2003/4.

New chairman Jon Sotnick sacked previous boss Neil Thompson, who had guided the Pilgrims away from relegation last season with a 1-0 Easter Monday home win over United, three weeks ago, and promptly went about reinstalling former manager Steve Evans a fortnight ago. However, due to the terms of Evans’ suspension from the game due to financial irregularities, this will be the first game back at the helm for the man who led Boston, somewhat contensiously, to the Nationwide Conference tiotle two years ago ahead of Dagenham & Redbridge.

Southend have still failed to appoint a new man to take charge at Roots Hall, and caretakers Steve Tilson and Paul Brush continue to do a good job. Home form has improved out of recognition in 2004, but on their travels the Shrimpers have slipped into bad habits, with the 3-2 LDV Vans Trophy win at Colchester United masking League defeats to Leyton Orient and Mansfield Town and draws with Cheltenham Town and Bury in the New Year.

Blues would have been hoping to gain some fresh blood from the Essex Senior Cup tie against Thurrock on Monday night, but instead a decidedly lacklustre performance left Tilson with few more options for this most important of trips. Jamie Stuart, the left-back, is suspended today, and Che Wilson’s failure to appear in the non-League debacle suggests that he is the natural replacement. Neil Jenkins failed to add to the debate.

Carl Emberson, too, did little to enhance his chances of a comeback between the sticks ahead of Darryl Flahavan, so he will have to settle for a place on the bench to the man who kept his fortieth Football League clean sheet for Southend in the vital 1-0 win over the Silkmen on Saturday. Ryan Robinson will stay at home.

In defence, other than the one main change, Mark Warren will play his last match before a one-game ban is served out at Bristol Rovers at the weekend for reaching five yellow cards in the win over Colchester. Leon Cort will continue to be his partner, with Duncan Jupp now safely back at right-back. Dave McSweeney, and possibly Jenkins, make the bench.

The midfield may see a minor shake-up, with Mark Bentley proving that he is adapting to life in the League with a match-turning display as a substitute on Saturday. Bentley could come in for Lewis Hunt, although that is less likely than Carl Pettefer, the loan signing from Portsmouth, making way on the right-wing. Mark Gower, who has looked jaded in recent weeks, is likely to continue on the left flank. Michael Kightly stands by with Jamie Fullarton, despite being back in training, not yet ready for a recall.

Up front, the pairing of Leon Constantine and Lawrie Dudfield, although seemingly a little lightweight for the long ball tactics likely to be faced this evening, will almost certainly begin the match. Dudfield will be playing the last game of his initial loan spell with the Shrimpers having scored four goals in his previous five – Tilson and the striker himself are eager to continue the arrangement to the end of the season.

Constantine has now bagged sixteen goals in the season, including the last one at Bury eight days ago – he was robbed of that being a winner by Gareth Seddon’s late, late winner. Tesfaye Bramble and James Corbett both started the Senior Cup tie but failed to impress. Drewe Broughton misses his final game of a three-match ban. Remember, any red cards picked up today or on Saturday will mean that player misses the LDV Vans Trophy final in Cardiff.

Boston have been in the transfer market of late. Striker Jermaine Brown, who appeared against the Shrimpers second-string in the Pontin’s Holidays Combination in February for Crystal Palace, has joined the Pilgrims until the end of the season, as has Adam Boyd. Former Arsenal and West Ham United trainee David Noble is another to link up with the side, although Ipswich Town defender Chris Hogg has left them.

TEAM DETAILS

Likely Squads

Boston United

Southend United

4-3-3
Paul Bastock

Lee Beevers

Stuart Balmer

Paul Ellender

Ben Chapman

Lee Thompson

Tom Bennett

David Noble

Jermaine Brown

Graeme Jones

Peter Duffield

---

Steve Croudson

Jim Rodwell

Mark Angel

Stuart Douglas

Ryan Clarke

---

Starting Line-Ups
GK

DR

DL

DC

DC

MC-MR

MC

MC

FC-ML

FC

FC

Substitutes

1

2

3

4

5

Also Available

*

*

*

*

*

4-4-2
Darryl Flahavan

Duncan Jupp

Che Wilson

Leon Cort

Mark Warren

Mark Bentley

Kevin Maher

Lewis Hunt

Mark Gower

Leon Constantine

Lawrie Dudfield

---

Carl Emberson

Dave McSweeney

Tesfaye Bramble

James Corbett

Carl Pettefer

---

Anthony Clark

Neil Jenkins

Stuart Williams

Michael Kightly

Steve Tilson

Statistics will hopefully appear here later

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com