Steven Clark will be looking to build on his last appearance

Steve Tilson and Paul Brush, who seemed to be handed a vote of confidence by Ron Martin for the caretaker managers’s role in the build-up to the Queens Park Rangers LDV Vans Trophy tie on Tuesday, have a whole host of injury concerns to deal with as they take their side north to Field Mill; the latest of which was obtained in the Pontin’s Holidays Cup fixture at London Road on Wednesday. The clash against Peterborough United saw Michael Husbands limp off of the pitch with what has now been diagnosed as a back injury.

The injury prone former Aston Villa striker joins a long list of teammates who are unavailable for the encounter. Jamie Fullarton remains out of the first team picture for at least another month, whilst Leke Odunsi has not featuired since the start of October and appears to be showing few signs of a return to full fitness. Lewis Hunt has torn a groin muscle, which will keep him out of action for at least a fortnight, whilst Tesfaye Bramble faces a similar length of time on the sidelines with his hamstring strain. James Corbett, fresh from returning from an ankle injury, will not travel after picking up a toe injury during rehabilitation.

All of this means that Tilson and Brush are stretched with regards to their team selection. They are likely to plump for the same sixteen-man squad that were selected against QPR, and with no changes to the starting personnel. Darryl Flahavan had a very quiet match between the sticks, in stark contrast to his deputy, Carl Emberson, who was the runaway man-of-the-match in the 2-0 defeat to the Posh in midweek. Once again, Ryan Robinson was nowhere to be seen.

Full-backs Duncan Jupp and Jamie Stuart responded well to recent criticism to put in fine displays against an experienced Rangers midfield on Tuesday night, and are set to keep their places, with Leon Cort and the fired-up Mark Warren, desperate to retain his place when Lewis Hunt comes back, inspired in the centre. Dave McSweeney was in action for the second-string, but he failed to impress and looks set to continue warming the bench.

In midfield too, there seems little suggestion that the four players who nset Roots Hall alight three days ago will not be allowed the opportunity to do likewise at Field Mill. Steven Clark returned to the strarting line-up with a bang, and after his fantastic goal, seems favourite to retain his place. Mark Gower will operate on the opposite flank with captain Kevin Maher and Jay Smith in the middle. Che Wilson, Neil Jenkins and the available-again Mark Bentley all failed to show Tilson why they should play ahead of the current four in midweek, and look set to battle for places on the bench.

Up front, the management team will have to select the pairing that provided them, and the near-6,000-strong crowd, with three of the four goals against the promotion-chasing Second Division Hoops. Leon Constantine hit his first goal in five matches to open the scoring that night, and he was joined with two late strikes by Drewe Broughton, who now has three goals in his last two appearances, and four in the last seven matches. Michael Kightly is likely to be attacking substitute again in the absence of anyone more experienced.

The Stags will be without a whole host of players. Defenders Jamie Clarke and Bobby Hassell miss out through suspension, whilst midfield men Tom Curtis, Liam Lawrence (subject of a £75,000-bid from Rotherham United in midweek) and Lee Williamson also sit out the clash. Craig Disley did not feature last weekend, but another that was not involved in the 3-1 defeat to Leyton Orient, Luke Dimech, comes back from suspension. Neil McKenzie has got over a hand injury to take his place in a depleated midfield.

The last encounter between the two sides was disappointing for the Essex club as they lost 3-0, with Iyseden Christie netting a hat-trick, but the Shrimpers have lost just once in the last five meetings at Field Mill, although the only victory was in September 1990. Overall in head-to-heads the Stags hold a narrow 18-16 lead, but with the confidence of a 4-0 trouncing of a higher-calibre side on Tuesday behind them, United will be brimming with confidence as they face the fourth-placed Town. And if they play like they did then, the travelling contingent will come back with smiles on their faces after the first League win in 2004.

TEAM DETAILS

Likely Squads

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Eddie Evans (Greater Manchester)

Assistant Referees: Phil Bramley (West Yorkshire) and Wayne McIntosh (Lincolnshire)

Evans will be remembered by most Shrimpers supporters for the manner in which he completely lost control of his first ever Football League fixture at the start of the 2002/3 campaign at Hull City’s old Boothferry Park ground. On that occasion he managed to book none separate players, including Stephen Broad, Graeme Jones, Kevin Maher, Ian Selley and Phil Whelan from Southend and send off the Tigers’ Ian Ashbee as the two sides battled out a 2-2 draw. His second, and last Blues encounter to date, saw Tesfaye Bramble and Stephen Kelly cautioned in a 1-0 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers. In 2002/3 he booked 94 and sent off nine in 27 matches, whilst this year the record is eleven dismissals and 66 yellows in just nineteen games. Expect cards aplenty.

TEAM FORM

Last Matches

Tuesday 20^th January 2004 – LDV Vans Trophy southern section semi-final @ Roots Hall

Southend United 4 (Leon Constantine 12, Steven Clark 67, Drewe Broughton 69, 79) Queens Park Rangers 0 [attendance: 5,824]. Southend United line-up (4-4-2): Darryl Flahavan; Duncan Jupp, Leon Cort, Mark Warren, Jamie Stuart (Che Wilson 84); Mark Gower (Neil Jenkins 88), Kevin Maher, Jay Smith, Steven Clark (Michael Kightly 88); Drewe Broughton, Leon Constantine. Subs not used: Carl Emberson, Dave McSweeney.

Saturday 17^th January 2004 – Nationwide League Division Three @ Brisbane Road

Leyton Orient 3 (Gary Alexander 6, 82, Tom Newey 70) Mansfield Town 1 (Jake Buxton 33) [attendance: 4,072]. Mansfield Town line-up (4-4-2): Kevin Pilkington; Bobby Hassell, David Artell, Rhys Day, Jake Buxton; Liam Lawrence, Neil McKenzie, Lee Williamson, Wayne Corden (Andy White 83); Colin Larkin (Iyseden Christie 60), Junior Mendez. Subs not used: Jason White, Alex John-Baptiste, Keith Curle.

Last Five Matches

Southend United

W4-0 (home; Queens Park Rangers, LDV Vans Trophy; Leon Constantine, Steven Clark, Drewe Broughton 2)

L0-2 (home; Doncaster Rovers; League Division Three)

L0-1 (away; Scarborough; F.A. Cup)

D1-1 (away; Cheltenham Town; League Division Three; Drewe Broughton)

D1-1 (home; Scarborough; F.A. Cup; Jay Smith)

Mansfield Town

L1-3 (away; Leyton Orient; League Division Three; Jake Buxton)

W1-0 (home; Kidderminster Harriers; League Division Three; Rhys Day)

L0-2 (home; Burnley; F.A. Cup)

D1-1 (away; Macclesfield Town; League Division Three; Iyseden Christie)

W1-0 (home; Rochdale; League Division Three; Colin Larkin)

Southend United away form

L0-1 (F.A. Cup; Scarborough)

D1-1 (League Division Three; Cheltenham Town; Drewe Broughton)

W1-0 (League Division Three; Cambridge United; Leon Constantine)

W3-2 (League Division Three; Swansea City; Leon Constantine, Mark Gower, Mark Warren)

L0-3 (League Division Three; Torquay United)

Mansfield Town home form

W1-0 (League Division Three; Kidderminster Harriers; Rhys Day)

L0-2 (F.A. Cup; Burnley)

W1-0 (League Division Three; Rochdale; Colin Larkin)

W3-2 (F.A. Cup; Wycombe Wanderers; Liam Lawrence 3 [2 pens])

L1-2 (League Division Three; Lincoln City; Lawrence [pen])

2003/4 SEASON

Southend United

Nationwide League Division Three (overall [away])

Played: 26 [13]

Won: 7 [4]

Drawn: 4 [3]

Lost: 16 [6]

Scored: 23 [12]

Conceded: 40 [22]

Goal Difference: -17 [-10]

Points: 25 [15]

Position: 22^nd [12^th]

F.A. Cup

First Round: beat Canvey Island (away) 3-2 in replay after 1-1 draw at home

Second Round: beat Lincoln City (home) 3-0

Third Round: lost to Scarborough (away) 0-1 in replay after 1-1 draw at home

Carling Cup

First Round: lost to Swindon Town (home) 2-3

LDV Vans Trophy

First Round: beat Bristol Rovers (home) 2-1 after silver goal extra time

Second Round: beat Swansea City (away) 2-1

Southern Section Quarter-Final: beat Luton Town (home) 3-0

Southern Section Semi-Final: beat Queens Park Rangers (home) 4-0

Southern Section Final: vs. Colchester United (away) on Tuesday 10^th February 2004 and vs. Colchester United (home) on Tuesday 24^th February 2004

Mansfield Town

Nationwide League Division Three (overall [home])

Played: 26 [13]

Won: 15 [9]

Drawn: 4 [2]

Lost: 7 [2]

Scored: 52 [31]

Conceded: 32 [14]

Goal Difference: +20 [+17]

Points: 49 [29]

Position: 4^th [6^th]

F.A. Cup

First Round: beat Bishop’s Stortford (home) 6-0

Second Round: beat Wycombe Wanderers (home) 3-2

Third Round: lost to Burnley (home) 0-2

Carling Cup

First Round: lost to Sunderland (home) 1-2

LDV Vans Trophy

First Round: lost to Stockport County (home) 1-2

THE HISTORY

Last Match

Last Five Meetings

16^th August 2003 – Southend United 0 Mansfield Town 3 (Iyseden Christie 42, 51, 90) – League Division Three

12^th January 2002 – Southend United 1 (Tesfaye Bramble 23) Mansfield Town 0 – Nationwide League Division Three

18^th August 2001 – Mansfield Town 0 Southend United 0 – Nationwide League Division Three

8^th May 2001 – Southend United 3 (Stuart Thurgood 62, Tesfaye Bramble 78, Damon Searle 90) Mansfield Town 1 (Liam Lawrence 28) – Nationwide League Division Three

28^th October 2000 – Mansfield Town 1 (Chris Greenacre 7) Southend United 1 (Martin Carruthers 16 [pen]) – Nationwide League Division Three

The Complete Head-to-Head Record

2003/4 – H0-3 (League)

2001/2 – H1-0 A0-0 (League)

2000/1 – H3-1 A1-1 (League)

1999/2000 – H1-0 A1-3 (League)

1998/9 – H1-2 A0-0 (League)

1990/1 – H2-1 A1-0 (League)

1988/9 – H1-1 A0-4 (League)

1987/8 – H2-1 A0-1 (League)

1985/6 – H3-1 A0-3 (League)

1984/5 – H1-3 A0-1 (League)

1980/1 – H2-0 A1-0 (League)

1979/80 – H1-1 A1-3 (League)

1978/9 – H1-1 A1-1 (League)

1975/6 – H2-2 A1-3 (League)

1968/9 – A1-2 (F.A. Cup)

1965/6 – H1-0 A0-2 (League)

1964/5 – H1-4 A1-6 (League)

1963/4 – H2-1 A1-4 (League)

1959/60 – H0-2 A1-1 (League)

1958/9 – H5-1 A4-1 (League)

1946/7 – H1-1 A1-0 (League)

1938/9 – H2-0 A1-3 (League)

1937/8 – H0-1 A2-2 (League)

1931/2 – H5-2 A4-4 (League)

Summary

Overall (46 matches)
Southend United 16

Mansfield Town 18

Draws 12

In The League (45 matches)

Southend United 16

Mansfield Town 17

Draws 12

At Field Mill (23 matches)

Southend United 4

Mansfield Town 12

Draws 7

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com