Blues make the trip to the Recreation Ground for the first time since former United player Craig Edwards, at the time managing the south Essex outfit, instructed his players to make the Southend players’ lives a misery for ninety minutes with a series of reckless challenges in July 2001, although Southend had the last laugh in a 1-0 win.
As they do so, manager Steve Tilson and head coach Paul Brush will be able to choose from an almost full-strength squad, with long-term injury victim Jay Smith the notable absentee once again. Smith, who trained with both Carl Pettefer and Mark Bentley on the pitch in pre-season games against East Thurrock United and Billericay Town, has resumed light training, but will not be considered for any first-team action until he has completed a couple of run-outs for the reserves in the first six weeks of the new season.
The only other player to miss out will be Drewe Broughton, injured in a freak accident during the Shrimpers 1-1 draw with Billericay Town at New Lodge on Monday night. The target man had already netted once for the Seasiders, and was attempted to inflict a second goal on the non-League outfit with a header, but instead collided with goalkeeper David McCarthy and clattered into the advertising hoardings. As a result, an ankle injury will prevent him from travelling to Grays.
Right-back Duncan Jupp, though, is back and raring to go after having to sit through the 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion next to Broughton in the executive seats. Jupp’s slight groin strain was picked up in the second half of the 3-3 draw with Dagenham & Redbridge, and his place has been filled by both Stuart Williams and Che Wilson, the former likely to play 45 minutes again tomorrow afternoon.
Midfielders Carl Pettefer and Mark Bentley both completed half-an-hour against the Seagulls two nights ago, and will now be hoping to get at least a half of football under their belts as they hope to gain a place in the first meaningful squad of the season against the Robins. Bentley will partner club captain Kevin Maher in the centre of midfield, whilst the former Portsmouth player Pettefer will play on the opposite flank to Mark Gower.
Also amongst the fray for the centre of the park will be youngsters Michael Kightly and Michael Husbands, who have filled wide positions in the past few matches, as well as more central-based older heads James Corbett and Wilson, who undoubtedly has been one of the stars of the pre-season fortnight with a string of sterling displays in a number of different positions.
Up front, Tilson is likely to hand opportunities in equal measures to his three main goalscoring threats for 2004/5. Wayne Gray and Lawrie Dudfield have been the preferred starting line-up over the past couple of games, and should continue in that vein. Tesfaye Bramble appears to be being lined up for a place on the bench, utilising his power and strength in the closing stages of the fixture.
At the heart of the defence, away from the right-back and left-back Nicky Nicolau and the goalkeeping jersey, which again is likely to be shared by neck-and-neck custodians Bart Griemink and Darryl Flahavan, Tilson and Brush have a final chance to look at the four options available to them for centre-half. Early nineties pairing Andy Edwards and Spencer Prior would seem to be the in-form men, but Adam Barrett and Lewis Hunt, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, are further options.
Athletic are, of course managed by another former Shrimper in Mark Stimson. Amongst his charges for tomorrow’s match are former Southend players Stuart Thurgood, who was supporters’, players’ and club player-of-the-year last season, and Daniel Lunan, the ex-youth team centre-half who made a couple of fleeting appearances for the first team in 2001/2. Meanwhile, former custodian Carl Emberson has been on trail at Bridge Road, playing the 2-1 pre-season win over Swindon Town on Tuesday night.
Kick-off is at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon and prices are likely to be £9 for adults and £5 for concessions. The Recreation Ground is about ten minutes walk from Grays c2c rail station and is in Bridge Road, close to the A126 towards Tilbury.
Southend United squad: Bart Griemink, Darryl Flahavan; Duncan Jupp, Stuart Williams, Lewis Hunt, Andy Edwards, Spencer Prior, Adam Barrett, Che Wilson, Nicky Nicolau; Mark Gower, Michael Husbands, James Corbett, Mark Bentley, Kevin Maher, Carl Pettefer, Michael Kightly; Lawrie Dudfield, Tesfaye Bramble, Wayne Gray.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com