Southend United v Oxford United – Preview - Shrimpers24

It's the last chance saloon for Blues boss Rob Newman

Three days of torrential rain in the Prittlewell area have preceded a dry twenty-four hours leading up to Tuesday evening, but with more heavy rain expected tomorrow morning, referee Paul Armstrong is likely to take a closer look at the playing surface upon arrival in south-east Essex. The pre-match entertainment expected to take place on Sunday was not able to go ahead due to the conditions, but the first match of 2003 could still go ahead with a bang as the Soul and Funk Show remains intact – at least until the rains come.

However, of much more significance to all Southend fans is the current plight of their team. With only five victories on home soil in all competitions this season, United’s record is one of the worst in the entire Football League, and without a decent away run, the Seasiders could really have been in the mire. Recent weeks have seen a dip in form away from the Hall though, and a run of only two wins from the last eleven Third Division games are a worry to even the most optimistic Shrimper. In fact, were it not for the fact that the bottom six were so poor and cut adrift from the rest of the division, Blues could now be entrenched in a relegation dogfight.

New Years Day is traditionally a time for new beginnings, and hopefully that will be the case against Oxford with three points doing much to bolster confidence ahead of two difficult journeys to Carlisle and Shrewsbury. Indeed, captain Kevin Maher will miss both of those games having been booked for the tenth time this season at Cambridge on Boxing Day, and tomorrow will see his last appearance before an enforced two-week break. Stuart Thurgood seems to be a ready-made replacement as he serves out the last game of his three-match suspension for the U’s visit.

Darryl Flahavan appears to be the biggest injury doubt. He was suffering with a groin injury throughout the 2-1 defeat against Scunthorpe a couple of days ago, and Leon Cort and Damon Searle were both called upon to take goal-kicks on his behalf. Danny Gay stands by for his first start since Shrewsbury’s 2-0 victory at Roots Hall on April 13^th. Steven Clark does not appear to have recovered from the same strain as his team-mate, and looks likely to miss out again. Stephen Broad will definitely be on the sidelines having only undergone surgery on his hernia problem a fortnight ago.

Tony Scully should make his final home start of his loan spell on the right wing before returning to Cambridge after the Carlisle match, leaving fellow loanee winger Danny Marney to sit the game out on the bench. Rob Newman was pleased with the effectiveness of his 4-5-1 formation at the Abbey Stadium, and it worked for 75 minutes against the Iron as well before Carruthers chipped Flahavan for the equaliser. Should he decide to continue with it, Mark Rawle will patrol the left wing with Mark Beard playing defensively in midfield and Jay Smith supporting top-scorer Tesfaye Bramble from the centre of the park.

The defence remains unbalanced with the inclusion of Dave McSweeney at right-back, Phil Whelan and Leon Cort in the middle and Searle employed as the left full-back. The Welshman has produced a welcome return to form over the festive period, but this continues to freeze England Under-20 international Neil Jenkins out of the side. The fans favourite should be joined on the bench by marksman Graeme Jones and Barrington Belgrave.

Oxford, by contrast to Blues, come into the game with a resurgent run of form behind them with seven wins and a draw from their last eight matches since they lost in the Worthington Cup to Aston Villa at the start of November. Having disposed of local rivals Swindon Town in the televised F.A. Cup Second Round tie, they earned themselves a lucrative trip to Highbury on Saturday. However, the hero of that game, joint top-scorer Jefferson Louis, cannot even force his way into the starting line-up. Neither indeed, can his partner, five goal hit man Andy Scott.

Former Scotland Under-21 star Scott McNiven misses that clash against Arsenal through suspension, but should play tomorrow for the U’s, who currently sit third in the table having beaten both Rushden & Diamonds and Bournemouth in their recent run. James Hunt is on the verge of a place having returned from injury, but such has been the form of Roy Hunter that he seems to be left with a place on the bench. Former Southend shotstopper Andy Woodman is likely to be the only goalkeeper in the squad, and he was the man who conceded Mark Rawle’s 19^th minute strike at the Kassam Stadium earlier in the year. Let’s hope for another victory tomorrow, and whatever happens, a Happy New Year to all Shrimpers supporters from all of us at The Little Gazette.

LAST MATCHES
Southend United 1 (Cort 39) Scunthorpe United (Carruthers 75, Torpey 81). Line-up: Darryl Flahavan; Dave McSweeney, Leon Cort, Phil Whelan (Danny Marney 84), Damon Searle; Tony Scully (Graeme Jones 88), Mark Beard, Jay Smith (Barrington Belgrave 78), Kevin Maher, Mark Rawle; Tes Bramble. Subs not used: Danny Gay, Neil Jenkins

Rushden & Diamonds 0 Oxford United 2 (Savage 13, Oldfield 30). Line-up: Andy Woodman; Scott McNiven, Andy Crosby, David Waterman, Matthew Bound, Matt Robinson; Roy Hunter, Bobby Ford (Dean Whitehead 79), David Savage (Jefferson Louis 61); David Oldfield, Steve Basham (Andy Scott 75). Subs not used: Lee Steele, Abdou Sall.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

23^rd August 2002 - Oxford United 0 Southend United 1 (Rawle 19) - Division Three

2^nd March 2002 - Southend United 2 (Bramble (pen) 29, Cort 43) Oxford United 2 - Division Three
25^th September 2001 - Oxford United 2 Southend United 0 - Division Three
24^th August, 1999 - Oxford United 1 Southend United 0 - Worthington Cup
10^th August 1999 - Southend United 0 Oxford United 2 - Worthington Cup

Dave McSweeney looks set to continue at right-back

Southend United (from): Darryl Flahavan, Danny Gay, Dave McSweeney, Leon Cort, Phil Whelan, Tom Jordan, Damon Searle, Neil Jenkins, Mark Beard, Tony Scully, Kevin Maher, Jay Smith, Steve Tilson, Mark Rawle, Barrington Belgrave, Tes Bramble, Graeme Jones, Mark Salter.

Oxford United (from): Andy Woodman, Scott McNiven, Andy Crosby, David Waterman, Matthew Bound, Matt Robinson, Roy Hunter, Bobby Ford, Dean Whitehead, David Savage, Jefferson Louis, David Oldfield, Steve Basham, Andy Scott, Lee Steele, Abdou Sall, James Hunt, Ian McCaldon.

OFFICIALS (as at December 23^rd)

Referee: Paul Armstrong (Thatcham)

Assistant Referees: Jon Beadle (Gravesend), Gary Evetts (Hertfordshire)

Armstrong has been a regular Shrimpers official having refereed the 6-1 debacle at Swindon, where he sent off Steven Clark for a second bookable offence and the 1-0 League defeat to Bournemouth, where he booked four players. His record for this season is 21 games, 78 yellow cards and five reds. In fact, Armstrong seems to have a record of Cup games with the Shrimpers, having taken charge of the Tranmere F.A. Cup tie last season, where he made a weird decision in giving drop ball after Barrington Belgrave had been fouled at 2-1. Needless to say, Sean Flynn hit the Merseysiders third from the bounce ball He also controlled the 0-0 draw with Hartlepool in 2001 (where he booked six players) and the 2-0 home defeat to Darlington in 2000 (three bookings) so he is yet to witness Southend win. He has only been a Football League referee for two-and-a-half seasons, in that time he has officiated in 76 games, producing 236 yellow and eleven red cards.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Overall

Southend United 8

Oxford United 15

Draws 4

At Roots Hall

Southend United 4

Oxford United 6

Draws 3

League Fixtures

Southend United 7

Oxford United 12