Great Wakering Rovers 0 Southend United 2

Last updated : 09 July 2008 By Shrimpers24


So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown

Just. I don't think it stopped all day and at times it was painful but this is pre-season friendly time and 'results don't matter', 'good to give the lads got a workout' and, that classic at this time of year, "blow away the cobwebs". Still, the Lord was, "pleased to get on the scoresheet", and so are we Lee, so are we.

Whether Tilly believes diamonds are forever will take a bit longer for him to work out but if Francis can keep his end of season form up, and we saw a smidgen of it in the first half, it might be worth keeping, certainly with Mulgrew back on the left, pretty please Uncle Ron.

Ex-Charlton man Osei Sankofa started as did Clarkey, but for the whole game! Some form of sadistic punishment by the club, (I hear he's sold his house, hope you didn't make a loss mate, still prices are a lot cheaper back in Blackpool), we will see, but for now both had good games. The tall and noisy Masters in goal also played the full 90 as did trailist Benjamin in defense. As for the swaps, see the full team changes below.




Clarkey, against the other Rovers, the ones we didn't beat.

For Revell lovers he started the new season as if the old one hadn't finished by missing a great chance on the half hour, a clear heading opportunity laid on a plate by Francis, blimey even Harry was scoring against this level of opposition!

Yet again, after the pouring rain made a farce of the first half, it was the good Lord Lee Barnard, who had replaced poor Alex for the second half, (and if you think I'm having a go just wait for Thurrock Blue's first report v er, Thurrock if he doesn't put one of these chances away), who showed Revell how to do it. Barrett charges into box, down he goes, up steps Lee, 1-0.

The deja vu continued as Bailey smashed the back of the net with a 20-yard volley from just outside the area while Blues continued to have far more of the ball than their Ryman Division One North opponents.

During all this excitement the extremly veteran forward Mr. Paul Furlong had joined the fun for his Southend debut.

Anything else, yes, the boy Noble, on for Lokando in the second period, it's former Fulham midfielder Max Noble, also down for a trail.

Let's hope the weather improves for Friday's long trip to the Island.

Southend United: Masters, Francis (Herd 46), Sankofa (O'Keefe 85), Clarke, Benjamin, Moussa (Barrett 46), McCormack (Bailey 46), Lokando (Noble 46), Walker (Scannell 46), Ademeno (Furlong 46), Revell (Barnard 46).