Southend go into this game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Scunthorpe United, which has been well documented in the press for the referee’s dreadful performance. The Blues assistant boss Paul Brush was far from happy with the performance from the man in the middle, especially after Scunthorpe should have been reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Paul Musslewhite blatantly handled outside of the penalty area. Brush told the clubs official site: “The keeper has only touched it with two hands. The manager has gone to watch the video and although it wouldn’t have been a goal if he had been sent off, we’d have still had the numerical advantage.”
Meanwhile, Colchester boss Phil Parkinson was happy with his side’s goal-less draw at home to Oldham Athletic, despite his side wasting numerous chances to take all three points.
However, despite a good result for the North Essex outfit on Saturday, they have a couple of injury worries to contend with. Pacey striker Marino Keith is unavailable due to an Achilles Heel injury whilst influential midfielder Karl Duguid will be out of action for two weeks with a knee injury. At the back, defender Stephen Hunt has a sprained ankle and goalkeeper Aidan Davidson is still suspended. However some good news for Parkinson will be that former West Ham United trainee Richard Garcia should be fit following a leg injury and could replace Marino Keith in the starting eleven.
Despite Freddy Eastwood remaining suspended, Southend boss Steve Tilson has no fresh injury concerns whatsoever, although he has hinted that he may tamper with his team, saying: “We have a few bumps and bruises after the game (against Scunthorpe) and we may need some fresh legs.”
A player who is fit and raring to go for Colchester is striker Chris Iwelumo, who was brought in by Phil Parkinson during the summer from German first division club Alemannia Aachen. Scotsman Iwelumo scored 20 goals in 47 full appearances for Stoke City over a four-year spell, averaging just under a goal every two games, and made the switch to Germany for the start of the 2004/05 season. However, having only made four substitute appearances last season, Iwelumo became the U’s first summer signing and has since scored one goal in six starts. There is no doubt that Iwelumo can score goals at this level, and will certainly be a test for Adam Barrett and co in the Southend defence.
Another player who will be a threat to the Seasiders tomorrow needs no introduction. Kemi Izzet, brother of Birmingham City’s Muzzy, scored against the Shrimpers back in the 2003/04 season in the second leg of the LDV area final, which Southend went on to win 4-3 on aggregate (sorry I really did enjoy saying that!). Izzet is a very quick and agile player who can shoot from any sort of distance and enjoys taking players on. Although not the most physical in a tackle, Kemi, who is going into his sixth season of professional football, has scored 16 goals in his career whilst also creating numerous goalscoring opportunities. If Izzet is in form, then there is no reason why he can’t give the Southend defence headaches again.
Colchester seem very wary of Freddy Eastwood…even though he isn’t playing! But another player who the Layer Road faithful appear fearful of is midfield dynamo Kevin Maher. Colchester goalkeeper Dean Gerkan, who went to school only a few miles away from Roots Hall said: “Whenever we have played Southend, Kevin Maher is the player that makes the whole team tick.” I am a big fan of Maher myself, and believe that if other teams are concerned about the former Tottenham youngster, then surely we must have a good player on our books!
Taking a brief look away from the present, the last time the two clubs faced each other was at Layer Road, where Southend advanced into the second round of last seasons LDV Vans Trophy with a win in a penalty shoot-out. Tes Bramble, now of Stockport County, smashed home a wonderful driven shot from 20 yards to give the Blues the lead after 40 minutes, and it stayed that way until half time. However, Colchester went into an attacking style of play for the start of the second half, and Richard Garcia pounced to head past Darryl Flahavan for 1-1 on 63 minutes. John Robinson who was the referee for the match blew his whistle for full time with the scores still level, which meant extra time and in the 108th minute Robinson, who had already made some poor decisions earlier in the game, sent Mark Bentley off for apparently ‘stamping’ on Greg Halford. The video after the match showed otherwise, with Bentley attempting to jump out of the way of a reckless challenge. As it was, it didn’t affect the outcome of the match, because after a superb save from Darryl in the 120th minute, Jim Corbett slammed home his penalty in the shoot-out to win Southend the game.
In all of the past meetings between the two sides Southend just about edge it, having won 26 of the 63 matches compared to Colchester’s 21. At Roots Hall, Southend are once again the better side – 14 wins and 9 draws from the 31 fixtures at the Shrimpers home ground. However, Colchester are minimally better at Layer Road as they have won thirteen times on their own ground whilst Southend have won only twelve times. Another interesting fact that Southend fans would like to hear is that Colchester have only won twice in their last eleven meetings against the Blues – and hopefully it will be two wins from thirteen come the end of tomorrow’s game!
Possible Teams:
Southend United (4-4-2): Flahavan, Hunt, Edwards, Barrett, Wilson, Guttridge, Maher, Bentley, Gower, Gray, Goater. Subs: Smith, Griemink, Pettefer, Prior, Lawson.
Colchester United (4-5-1): Gerkan, Elokobi, Halford, Chilvers, Stockley, Brown, Watson, Danns, Izzet, Yeates, Iwelumo. Subs: Cousins, Howell, Baldwin, White, Williams.
Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire)
Assistants: Nigel Bannister and Richard West (Both Yorkshire)
4th Official: Andy D’Urso (Essex)
By Adam Duffill