That Bilel Mohsni, what's he like?
A surprise choice on the bench, he came on with 14 minutes left and grabbed a vital point for the Shrimpers after four homed efeats in the last five games at Roots Hall.
Before all that Blues boss Paul Sturrock decided that the youngster Kane Ferdinand should return to the right of midfield replacing Louie Soares who dropped to the bench.
He was joined there by the returning Lee Sawyer and the fit again Bilel Mohsni.
The Shrimpers certainly deserved their point and looked the brighter side especially in the first period, against a physical Shakers side who remain winless now in seven.
Only 20 seconds had gone when Anthony Grant, (former full back and now Palace coach Dean Austin seen in the stands, oh err), forced his way into the box, not for the first time, but sadly shot well wide of the right hand post.
Soon after, the first of several free-kicks given against the away side in dangerous position, the majority wasted sadly, more work there Luggy, saw Barry Corr shoot straight into the hands of Bury keeper Cameron Billard, whose later time wasting tactics were to come back to haunt him.
The hard working Craig Easton who was too do as much as anybody to make sure we didn't suffer another home defeat tried his luck on the edge of the box, just wide right.
The Shakers had their moments, usually fouling anything in a Blue shirt, not always given by a lenient match official, the busy Ryan Lowe, Bury's top scorer, shot off target, but some good work by right-back Sean Clohessy saw the action return to the other end, Corr failing to meet his cross with son of Luggy following up yet didn't connect well enough to find the net.
Lowe again now, looping the ball over Shrimpers keeper Glenn Morris, with a great clearance by Chris Barker saving the day.
On the half-hour another strike by Grant went wide which led to a bizzare opportunity for the Lancashire side that should have seen them take the lead.
A shocking back header by left-back Peter Gilbert, a problem position for Sturrock senior, only found Lowe who with only Morris to beat smashed his volley against the right hand post, and to the relief of the shocked Shrimpers faithful the Blues No.1 reacted first, grabbing onto the rebound.
Bury had a brief period of accendancy and seven minutes before the break a swerving free-kick from long range by Steven Schumarker was superbly touched over the bar by Morris, back-pedalling like a duck on water.
At this stage Luggy couldn't have a go at the crowd who were fully behind the team with the Blue Voice in excellent form.
The second half begun with the busy Hall, swapping between both wings, and just pinching the S24 M-O-M gong from Captain Craig, crossed for Corr to head wide. Not the best of nights for top scorer Barry, suffering from a first half knock that again went upunished by referee Miller.
Sensing that the Blues had gone into third gear a touch, the seventh-placed club pressed forward and chances fell but not taken by Kyle Bennett, Lowe, of course, and Lennell John-Lewis.
A quick word here on former Shrimper Efe Sodje, the 35-year-old was simply oustanding at the back for Bury, his positional sense and passing game was simply superb. Well done Efe.
With the game drifting to a goalless draw, a shock for the Shrimpers in the 65th minute. Damien Mozika striking home Lowe's right-wing cross before being booked for over-celebrating!
A real sucker punch yet Southend striker Barry Corr had a great chance to equalise within a minute but shot over from eight yards with the goal at his mercy after a Belford fumble.
Luggy then made his first change on 69 minutes with Kane Ferdinand, a quiet game but plenty of promise, being replaced by Lee Sawyer, who went on to show a couple of class touches which should see him as a valuable assett for the business end of the season.
Hall again, a 20-yarder well saved by Belford with his fingertips, before the biggest cheer of the night, well, until he scored, the cult figure of Bilel Mohsni was seen taking his tracksuit off and brought on for Sturrock Jnr. with 14 minutes left, and sent straight up front to try and get his head on to the many crosses being blitzed into the Bury penalty box but nobody getting on the end of them.
The script had already been written.
Mohsni was to save the day for the Shrimpers when he dived full length to nod home at the back post yet another Ryan Hall cross, this one from the right, in the dying seconds of the five minutes of injury time.
That's still October 30th and that 1-0 win over Rotherham as the last time Southend United grabbed three points in front of their own fans, but they've stopped the rot and can look forward to the Macclesfield Town game at Roots Hall on Tuesday with renewed confidence, where victory there and at Barnet next Saturday would make the League Two table interesting reading.
Southend Player Markings: Morris - 7, Clohessy - 6, Coughlan - 6, Barker - 5, Gilbert - 6 (Crawford 86), Hall - 8, Easton - 7, Grant - 7, Ferdinand - 6 (Sawyer 69 - 6), Sturrock - 6 (Mohsni 76 - 7), Corr - 6.
Referee: Mr. P. Miller - 6.
The Shakers view:
www.buryfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10422~53382,00.html
Southend 1-1 Bury: View commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
| Npower League Two, Friday, 21st January 2011 @ 19:45 |
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| | 56.3% | Possession | 43.7% | | 1 | Goal Attempts | 1 | | 1 | On Target | 1 | | 0 | Off Target | 0 | | 0 | Hit Woodwork | 0 | | 7 | Corners | 6 |
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| Referee | | Pat Miller | | Attendance | | 5,175 |
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| Southend Utd. Cards | | Sawyer | 90+6 | Unsporting behaviour | | Crawford | 90+3 | Unsporting behaviour | | Bury Cards | | Picken | 31 | Unsporting behaviour | | Sodje | 59 | Unsporting behaviour |
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