Southend United vs. Cambridge United – Preview

Last updated : 20 August 2004 By Robert Craven

Nicky Nicolau continues to fight for his left-back role
The Blues have not won a game at home, or indeed anywhere else, since Bank Holiday Monday in April 2004 when Darlington were the visitors and a splendid fightback saw them defeat the Quakers 3-2 having been 2-0 down at the break. Since then Hull City have been held to a draw and Yeovil Town, Torquay United and Cheltenham Town, the latter most noticeably on the opening day of the season, have all emerged triumphant from their visit to Roots Hall.


At the moment, that 2-0 defeat to the Robins, coupled with the 1-1 draw with Lincoln City at Sincil Bank and a disappointing performance as the Seasiders slumped to a 2-0 loss at Spotland against ten-men Rochdale, mean that all attention has been focused upon the bottom of the League Two table, where only promoted sides Chester City and Shrewsbury Town separate Blues from the drop zone.


However, should Southend wish to launch a promotion campaign, they simply must avoid setting yet another record number of home defeats, having eclipsed the 2002/3 total of ten with eleven on the last day of 2004/5. If Tilson’s side go even one further, then without outstanding away form, relegation would loom large in the face, and against sides of the ilk of Cambridge United, three points have to be the target.


Indeed, last season the Shrimpers defeated the U’s 1-0 on both occasions that they met, and those six points represented an absolutely vital tally to the season’s total of 54. Cambridge joined Macclesfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers in being beaten twice, with perhaps less than coincidentally all three sides beaten at Roots Hall either side of the LDV Vans Trophy area final win against Colchester United that so ignited the hosts’ campaign.


One man injured on that occasion, Jay Smith, will now have to sit out the clash as he recovered from a minor operation to remove screws from the metal plate inserted into his lower right leg after Warren Goodhind’s savage tackle from behind. Right-back Goodhind undoubtedly ought to have been dismissed, not least since midfielder Smith found himself in the clear running down the centre of the pitch, but new boss Herve Renard has not selected the defender in the opening three matches and he seems unlikely to feature again.


Incidentally, one man punished, almost harshly, on the first day of the season sits out the third match of his suspension for a sending off on the first day of 2004/5. Tesfaye Bramble went in two-footed against Cheltenham left-back Jamie Victory and was promptly handed his marching orders, but his challenge did not leave any lasting damage.


Aside from the sidelined Smith and the banned Bramble, Tilson and his head coach Paul Brush have a full squad to choose from as they hope to register that all-important first win. Many of the fringe players involved in the squad were in action at Woodside Road in Worthing during a highly-impressive 1-1 reserve team draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek, and will be seeking to gain a place in the side.


Not least amongst that side was the captain, Adam Barrett, who was a substitute for Spencer Prior in Lancashire seven days ago. However, his inclusion against the Seagulls insinuates that Prior, who is likely to be one of the biggest wage-earners at the club, will keep his place, despite his partnership with Andy Edwards not proving successful so far. Edwards, too, should keep his place with Lewis Hunt another to have impressed in midweek.


At full-back, Stuart Williams was strangely missing from the side that drew on the south coast, though injury after he suffered a dead leg last Saturday, so he is not in contention to steal Duncan Jupp’s position on the right-hand side of the defence. Che Wilson again played well at left-back and piles on the pressure for former Arsenal defender Nicky Nicolau, who has yet to recapture the form of last season.


The goalkeeping position continues to be one of the more healthy places at the club, with Bart Griemink having been one of the more consistent performers this far in the first team, and Darryl Flahavan only just failing to keep a clean sheet against Albion as he gave a much more confident display. Former Swindon Town man Griemink will certainly keep his place, however.


In midfield, Michael Husbands made a bid for selection on the troublesome right-hand side, despite apparently having suffered concussion after a clash of heads with Nicolau in training. Husbands was involved in a series of fine moves as he and Michael Kightly impressed in midweek, with Carl Pettefer and Mark Gower, the Players’ Player of the Year for 2004, especially, not playing to their potential.


In the middle, despite missing a penalty, Jimmy Corbett is starting to show the sort of form that saw him net three times in a four-game purple period alongside ex-Cambridge City man Bramble at the tail end of 2003. The one-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers winger has adjusted well to the centre of midfield and offers yet another option to Tilson and Brush.


He is unlikely to replace either of the pair that have been in possession of the central midfield places thus far this season though, with club captain Kevin Maher an automatic selection and Mark Bentley, previously of Dagenham & Redbridge, also not disgracing himself in the Shrimpers overall slump in form.


Up front, Lawrie Dudfield will be bidding to dislodge one of Wayne Gray and Drewe Broughton from the striking positions. He scored his first United goal against Cambridge last season whilst on loan from Northampton Town, and following three more whilst temporarily at the Hall from Sixfields. Gray was off-pace last weekend, and 25-year-old Broughton may be given another forward to flick on to.


French boss Renard will take a look at his towering centre-back Igor Latte-Yedo before deciding whether he is worth the risk for the trip. His fellow Frenchman was, like Tesfaye Bramble, sent off on the opening day of the season, but has served his suspension and is available for selection, providing his ankle injury has cleared up. His place in Thursday’s training session suggests it has.


Shane Tudor, the livewire winger who has a good eye for goal, was dropped for the weekend win, the U’s first, over Shrewsbury Town seven days ago, but would be in line for a recall if the Cambridgeshire outfit decide Latte-Yedo is unfit. Old boy Daniel Webb is set to line up alongside Daniel Chillingworth up front after publicly apologising for his spat with captain Luke Guttridge, the side’s most dangerous player, at the end of the win over the Salop.


A win for the Shrimpers at this stage would still be enough, after just four games, to take them level with their opponents, and conceivably into the top half of the League Two table, although a massive (and unlikely win) with a mixture of outlandish results could even see United in a share of the play-off positions. At this juncture many present at Roots Hall for tomorrow’s three o’clock kick-off would be satisfied with a plain old 1-0 win.


Southend United

Cambridge United

4-4-2

Bart Griemink

Duncan Jupp

Che Wilson

Andy Edwards

Spencer Prior

Michael Husbands

Kevin Maher

Mark Bentley

Mark Gower

Drewe Broughton

Lawrie Dudfield

---

Darryl Flahavan

Nicky Nicolau

Lewis Hunt

Adam Barrett

Wayne Gray

---

Carl Pettefer

Wayne Gray

Michael Kightly

Starting Line-Ups

GK

DR

DL

DC

DC

MR

MC

MC

ML

FC

FC

Substitutes

1

2

3

4

5

Also Available

*

*

*

4-4-2

John Ruddy

Stevland Angus

Ashley Nicholls

Igor Latte-Yedo

Abdou El Kholti

Shane Tudor

Andy Duncan

Justin Walker

Luke Guttridge

Daniel Webb

Daniel Chillingworth

---

Shaun Marshall

Adam Tann

Darren Quinton

Daniel Gleeson

John Turner

---

Warren Goodhind

Francesco Nacca

Matthew Robinson


REFEREE: Iain Williamson (Berkshire) – for a full look at tomorrow’s matchday officials, purchase the matchday programme ‘The Blues’.


Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com