The Blues know that they have to take advantage tomorrow as the top teams play each other, with Northampton taking on Macclesfield and Yeovil taking on Leyton Orient. Swansea on the other hand are away to Notts County which may prove a tough task for Kenny Jackett and his team, who like both the Shrimpers and Macclesfield have 60 points on the board, and come the end of the season the Swans will be kicking themselves if they miss out on automatic promotion having dropped points to mid-table teams like the Magpies. Scunthorpe, the other side on 60 points will host Rushden and Diamonds. Hopefully former Shrimper Drewe Broughton will do us a favour and score against Southend’s promotion rivals.
The last time the Shrimpers met the Seals, the Shrimpers came
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Chester's return to the football league has not been a successful one at all, and it couldn't have started any worse. First manager Mark Wright left the club one day before the new season with personal problems, and then the results all went wrong, as the Seals crashed to the bottom of the table having lost four of their opening six matches. Ian Rush was brought in as Wright's replacement in the management hot-seat and looked to be the saviour Chester required, as the Blues picked up two victories in succesion and then went another seven games unbeaten, but that was about as good as it got for the Seals. Despite Rush's intervention, Chester's form deterioriated as the Seals went through a spell were they could only win once from every five games, and they couldn't string two victories together until early last month when both Rushden & Diamonds and Kidderminster were defeated. In the three games that followed however, Chester failed to score and were beaten by Yeovil (0-2), Grimsby (0-1) and local rivals Shrewsbury Town by an embarrasing five goals to nil. Chester will be happy to stay in the league this year and see if they can bring in a few players and try to challenge for promotion next season.
In matches between the two at Chester's Deva Stadium, Southend have only won three times from seventeen matches but have also drawn eight times, with the other six games going to Chester. The last time the two teams met at the Deva, the two sides fought out a boring 0-0 draw in the 2000/01 season which proved to be the season that the Seals were relegated to the conference. At Roots Hall, Southend have come out as winners eleven times compared to Chester's four times, with the other five matches ending in a draw.
The Blues have got lucky as far as City's dangermen are concerned – former Everton striker, Michael Branch and Ashley Sestanovich, a big target man style centre forward are both missing tomorrow with injury. However, Kevin Ellison, the Seals top scorer, has recently moved to Hull City which has given a chance for former Blues loanee Kevin Rapley to hold down a regular starting place. Although Rapley has only managed a mere 4 goals from 16 starts and 11 substitute appearances this season, Shrimpers fans may remember him for his good speed and excellent eye for goal. Rapley managed 5 goals from 6 games whilst on loan to the Blues from Brentford in the 1998/99 season but turned down a permanent move to the Blues, instead opting for Notts County.
Steve Tilson has no new injury worries with only Bart Griemink , Andy Edwards and Jay Smith sill out with their long term injuries. In fact even injury prone Jimmy Corbett completed around three-quarters of the Essex Senior Cup game in the week and would be available if their was a sudden emergency. Expect the Shrimpers to start the game with the same side that began the match a week ago.
Ian Rush, if he is still in charge for tomorrows game, on the other hand has injury problems galore and will be without current top scorer Michael Branch who has a hamstring injury as well as Phil Bolland who has a damaged ankle. Also out for Chester are Ashley Sestanovich, Chris Mackenzie and Darren Edmonson who all have viruses. More bad news for Chester is that George Elokobi has finished his loan spell at the club and has returned to Colchester.
The referee for tomorrow’s encounter is Tony Bates who will make the relatively short journey from Staffordshire to the Deva Stadium. Shrimper’s will have good memories of Bates who refereed Southend’s relegation clash with Kidderminster last season. Southend had two penalties awarded that day and Leon Constantine sent both into the back of the net. Bates also sent the then-Kidderminster manager Jan Molby away from the dugouts an the advise of fourth official Simon Beck. Bates will be joined by assistants Colin Harwood (Greater Manchester) and Joe Taylor (Lancashire).
Possible Teams:
Chester City:
W Brown, Harris, Hope, Hessey, Vaughan,Carden , Drummond, Davies, Foy, Belle, Rapley, O'Neill. Subs: Walsh, M Brown, Sestanovich, Bayliss, Booth.Southend United:
Flahavan, Hunt, Prior, Barrett, Wilson, Pettefer, Maher, Bentley, Gower, Gray, Eastwood. Subs: Nicolau, Dudfield, Holloway, Bramble, Kightly.Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire)