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Rob Newman's men finally put a five-match losing streak behind them last weekend as a great goal by Tes Bramble, just twelve minutes from time, proved to be the clincher in a single-goal victory at the Memorial Stadium against Bristol Rovers.
However, Newman and his players can't fall back on the Rovers result too much as the Blues boss well knows; "It's a tough game and it's a chance to get revenge on them after losing two or three weeks ago" said Newman who also admitted that; "We gave a goal away in the first minute last time but we played very well after that but we still lost the game".
"There's no League points at stake tomorrow and last season we took on Luton in the opening round, they were top of the league at the time aswell and it was a cracking game which we won 3-2" remembered Newman. Indeed it was a great match, and all Southend supporters inside Roots Hall that afternoon will not forget Bramble's late bicycle-kick winner for a while. But, that was last season, and this is a new campaign and surely the Shrimpers ultimate aim is to progress past the Third Round stage which has been reached in the last two seasons.
Southend's side will be looking slightly different from the eleven that trooped off the pitch in Bristol last week. Firstly midfielder Ian Selley has returned to Wimbledon following the climax of his three month loan deal, whilst Mark Salter - on the bench at the Memorial Stadium - is cup-tied having previously played in the qualifying rounds for Frome Town.
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Striker Barrington Belgrave misses out on the clash as he serves the first of a two match suspension having been sent-off for foul and abusive language at Leyton Orient just over two weeks ago. Ironically the referee who dismissed Belgrave, Woking-based official Lee Cable, takes charge of this match. Stephen Broad also misses out through suspension having acculmulated five bookings this season. Three players are also doubtful through injury; Mark Rawle (groin), Graeme Jones (hamstring) and Phil Whelan (knee). Should all three of the trio miss out then loanee winger Tony Scully, who has been given permission by Cambridge United to play, could be the man given the task of partnering Bramble up front.
Kevin Maher and Steven Clark both return to the squad having each served a one-match ban whilst Jay Smith has also been granted freedom to play by Aston Villa, but unless the dimutive midfielder is offered a permanent deal, it could be his last showing for the Shrimpers before returning to Birmingham.
Hartlepool, who should feature an ex-Southend loanee - Preston North End's Brian Barry-Murphy - return south without a manager, for Chrs Turner resigned from his position at Victoria Park two weeks ago to take up a 'dream' position at Sheffield Wednesday. The Monkey Hangers' will be rallied by assistant boss Colin West and youth team manager Martin Scott.
"It would be fantastic to think we could get the same result as we did down there last time" said caretaker boss West. He continued; "We could do with scoring one or two more goals though to make it a less nervous last twenty minutes!".
I think for most Southend supporters, it'll be a nervous, tense, ninety minutes!
LAST MATCHES:-
Bristol Rovers 0 Southend United 1 (Bramble 78), Line-up: Flahavan, Beard, Searle, Broad, Cort, Selley, Smith, Scully (Thurgood 86), Jenkins, Belgrave, Bramble. Unused - Salter, McSweeney, Whelan, Gay.
Exeter City 1 (Moor 49) Hartlepool United 2 (Tinkler 63, Richardson 66), Line-up: A. Williams, Barry-Murphy, Lee, Westward, Barron, Tinkler, Smith, Clarke, Humphreys, Richardson (Boyd 81), E. Williams. Unused - Arnison, Widdrington, Istead, Provett.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS:-
25th October, 2002 - Southend United 0 Hartlepool United 1 (E. Williams 1) - Division Three
23rd February, 2002 - Hartlepool United 5 (Humphreys 9, 66, Coppinger 35, Smith 69, Easter 71) Southend United 1 (Belgrave 90) - Division Three
15th September, 2001 - Southend United 0 Hartlepool United 0 - Division Three
7th April, 2001 - Southend United 2 (Forbes 35, Bramble 51) Hartlepool United 1 (Tinkler 84) - Division Three
2nd December, 2000 - Hartlepool United 1 (Miller 28 [pen]) Southend United 0 - Division Three
THE SHRIMPERS (from):- Darryl Flahavan, Daniel Gay, Mark Beard, Damon Searle, Leon Cort, Phil Whelan, David McSweeney, Kevin Maher, Jay Smith, Stuart Thurgood, Steven Clark, Neil Jenkins, Tony Scully, Steve Tilson, Graeme Jones, Mark Rawle, Graeme Jones, Tesfaye Bramble.
THE MONKEY HANGERS (from):- Anthony Williams, Michael Barron, Graeme Lee, Chris Westward, Brian Barry-Murphy, Darrell Clarke, Mark Tinkler, Paul Smith, Ritchie Humphreys, Eifion Williams, Marcus Richardson, Jim Provett, Adam Boyd, Mark Robinson, Paul Arnison, Tommy Widdrington, Steven Istead.
Referee - Lee Cable (Woking)
Lee should be a familiar face to United supporters, for he refereed the Shrimpers only two and a half weeks ago in the 2-1 defeat at Leyton Orient. In that game Cable awarded the O's a dubious first minute corner from which they scored and also sent-off Barrington Belgrave for dissent in the final minute. Hence Belgrave's suspension for this tie. Cable also dismissed Steven Clark in the final minute of last season's 2-0 home win over Scunthorpe United for an alleged head-butt.
Assistant Referee's - Jon Beadle (Gravesend) and Trevor Pollard (Bury St Edmunds)
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com
HEAD-TO-HEAD SOUTHEND UNITED v HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Stats by www.soccer-stats.co.uk
RESULTS RECORD
Southend United - 16
Hartlepool United - 9
Draw - 8
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