Shrimpers batter Bulls

At last, Johnny Herd gets a game, not that Blues boss Paul Sturrock had much of a choice, oh no, Johnny limps off clutching his hamstring after only 18 minutes, on comes striker Harry Crawford, blimey, winger Ryan Hall seems to have gone to left back, blimey, Harry scores, twice!

This may be a bizzare game to report on!

Hereford started with new loanee signing Steve Leslie who looked the part as the Bulls forced home keeper Glenn Morris in to a hat-trick of saves, top scorer Stuart Fleetwood with the first, Leslie with the second, ex-loanee Waide Fairhurst with the third, a collector's piece for the Roots Hall faithful who have never seen young Waide have a shot, let alone score, which he's done three times for Hereford in just over a month, unbelievable!.

With a run like the Bulls have had and the depleted Shrimpers squad Luggy had to get up for this game, after a run of five games and two just two points, this was always going to be tough.

And when young Johnny, unlucky son, limped off so early losing the Shrimpers their main attacking option in Hall, who has a left foot so that was enough for him to drop back as we had no alternative on the subs bench, and Ryan was replaced in the centre by the even younger Crawford, the game, as well as our season, seemed to be up.

Bollocks it was, as the Blues went ahead in the 36th minute when Joe Heath's attempted clearance fell to, yes, Harry Crawford, who looped the ball over Bulls keeper Adam Bartlett from six yards.

Great for Harry for all his hard work, and the half-time whistle came with no real concerns for the Essex boys who may have seen less of the ball but held the advantage.

If the cups of Bovril were drunk with a slight spring in the step of the home faithful, we are usually a goal down, the second was sheer Disneyland.

Five minutes after the hour the always industrious Lee sawyer tried his luck, Bartlett saved, but only in to the path of top scorer Barry Corr, unlucky Adam, who side footed the ball into the back of the net from close range.

After all the hardships of the last month, the Shrimpers support, still over 5,000, sung g=hard and loud, they deserved this, as did Luggy and the boys, and only two minutes later it was three!

And it was the Irish boy Corr again, heading home from a few yards out following Sean Clohessy's excellent free-kick for his 18th goal of the season.

It was obvious this was not the Bulls night, they had worked hard for their fans and are right back in the relegation dog fight, Barnet would have enjoyed this result, and as the Roots Hall crowd started to leave, they may have missed a fourth!

In the last minute of stoppage time Clohessy of all people was fouled in the area by Joe Colbeck when lookong likely to score, poor Joe received a red card for his troubles, and up stepped Crawford who tucked the ball in to the bottom right corner.

Unlucky big Baz, who had been substituted just a few minutes earlier must have been cursing his luck of a missed hat-trick opportunity!

Oh how Roots Hall cheered the players off, the entire squad, after the shit they've had to put up with they deserved this.

EEB at his Maltese hideaway has just texted me that he's raised a glass of a large Smirnoff and coke, and drunk it, as he sing's Blue Moon at a local karaoke; you really couldn't make that up.

But that's what winning does, and winning 4-0 in the bargin.

Not sure the match deserved that scoreline but it keeps the season alive for everyone connected with the Shrimpers, and make you just think that long trip to bottom of the table Stockport on Saturday week just might be worth the effort, let's hope though that Luggy makes a signing or two!

Southend player markings: Morris - 7, Clohessy - 7, Coughlan - 7, Barker - 8, Herd - 5 (Crawford 18 - 8), Ferdinand - 7, Sawyer - 7, Grant - 7, Hall - 7,
Sturrock - 7, Corr - 9 (Soares 88).

Referee: Mr. G. Horwood - 6. 

Great win, is the play-off still alive, have your vote?:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/interactive/voting_polls.asp

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Competition: Npower League Two Date: Friday, 18th March 2011 Kick off: 19:45 Venue: Roots Hall
	Southend Utd. Crawford 36, 90+5 (pen) Corr 65, 67	4 - 0	Hereford Utd.

56%	Possession	44%
4	Goal Attempts	0
4	On Target	0
0	Off Target	0
0	Hit Woodwork	0
1	Corners	6

Referee	Attendance
Graham Horwood	5,056

Southend Utd. cards shown
23	Corr	Unsporting behaviour
69	Crawford	Unsporting behaviour

Hereford Utd. cards shown
68	Heath	Unsporting behaviour
90+4	Colbeck	Unsporting behaviour