Dickinson: 'I’m gutted to now have to miss three matches'
Quite a few days for Shrimpers striker Liam Dickinson.
He first found himself in this week's npower League Two Team of the Week for his performance, which included a cracking second goal in his club's 3-2 away win at Port Vale, followed up by a winning penalty that knocked Crawley Town of the opening round in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, and then got himself sent off later on in the same game!
Still, let's concentrate on the good news first, and many may feel we should have more than one representative in the choosen eleven.
For the full side: www.football-league.co.uk/league2/news/20110830/league-2-team-of-the-week_2293326_2436089
However, as good as the shot was, (catch it on the link below), the Shrimpers find themselves seriously short of strikers without Neil Harris and Barry Corr, who are both out injured, and with Liam seeing red he will now miss the next three games against Northampton Town, Swindon Town and Gillingham. Ouch!
Dickinson told the Echo after Tuesday evening's match: “I haven’t seen the incident again but at the time I didn’t think it was a red card. It was a strong challenge and maybe slighly rash but I won the ball and I think the referee got it wrong. I’m really disappointed by it and I’m gutted to now have to miss three matches, especially as Neil Harris went off injured as well and we’re short of strikers now.”
To add to Blues boss Paul Sturrock's woes for the weekend game against the Cobblers midfielder Lee Sawyer, just looking as if he would get a decent run in the team, will join them all on the sidelines as he's picked up a thigh problem.
However, winger Ryan Hall is fully fit again after his virus and will surely be in the starting line-up allowing Michael Timlin, on loan from Swindon, to start on the bench.
As for up front, we've already tipped it, it's got to be the Bilel and Blair show, maybe!
No false start for Shrimpers: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk